If I had only known you
by sailorsimon
Summary: Harry/Tom slash so no homophobes. Multi-chaptered fic which will start from the end of CoS up to DH. Harry makes a deal with Tom's memory: his virginity in exchange for Ginny's life... story better than summary. Happy ending! please review!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Warning: This is a slash fic, so homophobes away!**

**Chapter 1: It's a deal. **

Harry's P.O.V 

The chamber of secret… everything is dark and humid. I'm cold… colder by the minute. I refuse to let it show but I'm scared… very scared… to tell the truth I'm mortified at the idea that this might just be it. I know I shouldn't think like that, but the fear that clutches my heart is almost unbearable. Doesn't matter, I can't give up. I can't abandon. Not now. Not her. She's done nothing to deserve this, if she's there, like this, it's my fault. I have to save her, I can't let her die.

… Ginny… she's so pale… I can feel life escaping her tiny body… and for what… for who… for that monster. Tom Riddle. Wasn't enough for him to take away my parents from me, he now had to steal the life of an innocent young girl. Why? How could someone lack humanity that much? Didn't he love anyone; was he even capable of loving?

I look at my bloody arm. It hurts so much. I can feel the venom of the Basilisk running through my veins. My blood feels like ice and my muscles are weakening. My breathing's going. I still manage somehow to limp toward the quickly paling body of my best friend's little sister. But as soon as a reach it I sense my entire being falter, my grasp on the sword loosens and it falls to the ground along with the Basilisk's fang. I fall to my knees on the cold and wet floor.

"Remarkable isn't it? How quickly the venom of the Basilisk penetrates the body. I guess you have a little more than a minute to live. You'll be with your dear mudblood mother soon, Harry."

I look at him with hate and fury and he answers with nothing but a little vicious and mocking smile; I'm well aware that nothing amuses him more than to see me perish. But I can't let him win; I refuse to let my parent's death be in vain. I mustn't die here, I just can't. If I do, he wins. I gaze at Ginny once more. She's almost dead. I reach out to put my hand on hers. She still has the diary under her arm. How could such a small object have caused her so much pain? And then, as though he read my mind, Riddle speaks again.

"Funny, the damage a silly little book can do, especially in the hand of a silly little girl."

Then it hits me: of course, the diary, it's what links them together Riddle and Ginny. I have an idea. I take the book and open it up.

"What are you doing?"

I have to destroy it, but how? I look around me and I spot it; the Basilisk's fang, perfect.

Third-Person Narrator

But just as Harry reached for it, Tom stepped in and kicked the giant tooth away from him.

"Oh no, you don't! I've been imprisoned for fifty years and I'm not about to let you take my only chance to live again."

The boy tried moving but felt his bodyweight become too much pressure for his weakening muscles and he collapsed.

"Soon I won't ever have to worry about you again."

Just as Harry was ready to give up, Fawkes landed near him. The young Gryffindor looked up at the beautiful bird.

"You were brilliant Fawkes, but I just wasn't quick enough"

"Come to morn your death as he?"

Thankfully, the phoenix had positioned himself so that Tom wouldn't be able to see that he was actually letting tears drop from his eyes and right onto the boy's injury. Harry watched his arm heal as he remembered what Dumbledore had said to him earlier.

"Of course, the phoenix's tears have healing powers."

He whispered so that Riddle wouldn't hear him. He felt his strength quickly coming back to him. He snatched the diary and ran to the get the Basilisk's tooth. He swiftly grabbed the fang and opened the diary on the floor, ready to stab it with all he had.

"Wait!"

Harry turned his head and saw his enemy holding Ginny by the hair with his right hand, while his left was holding his own wand to her throat.

"Don't even think about it, unless you want me to kill her right away. Personally, I wanted to enjoy her agony until the very end, but if you leave me no other choice…"

"Liar, if you could have killed her you would have done so already by now. I bet you anything you have to wait until she dies by herself for this thing to work!"

Harry might have only been in second year, but he was not dumb. Tom however, seemed surprised at his sharpness. He clearly didn't expect the boy to be this clever. Still, he remained calm and didn't show a single emotion that could have betrayed him. Instead, he simply smiled with his signature devil smirk.

"Perhaps... but are you really willing to take that chance?"

Harry's expression answered for him.

"I didn't think so… tell me… about I stop the dying process for now…"

As Riddle spoke a bright light emanated from the wand and spread over Ginny and Harry could tell she had stopped dying.

"That way… we can come up with a solution."

Harry was surprised, Tom Riddle might have been evil but at the very least he was rational. It was astonishing to see just how cold Riddle could really be.

"Alright Tom, what are you proposing? I'm telling you right now… you won't take her life."

"And I'm telling you right now, I will be flesh and blood by the end of the night, no matter what!"

Harry looked at Riddle and knew there was no arguing that point.

"Fine then, there must be another way!"

His nemesis didn't take his eyes off of him, but Harry could tell that he was mentally frantically searching through his mind for an answer.

"Well…"

"Well what?"

"There might be another way… but I don't think you'll approve… it's pretty much… drastic."

"What do you mean?"

"I know of a ritual… It would allow me to substitute her blood to her actual life…"

"Her blood!"

"Only some of it… but that's not the real issue…"

"Then what is it?"

"Well the ritual requires the blood of a virgin… taken by force… in this case by me"

Harry might have been only 12 but he quickly understood what Tom meant by that. Still he had to ask, hoping he was wrong.

"You mean…"

"Yes… I don't exactly have any interest in doing it this way… but I'll do whatever's necessary to live."

"It's bloody sick"

"It's the only other way… personally I really don't care even though I'd rather just take her life."

"That's out of the question."

"Well then it's settled."

Harry looked at Ginny's frail little body.

"Wait… the… virgin… does it have to be her?

"Well it has to be someone who was connected to the diary… so then I guess… either you or her… but I doubt you'd…"

"Take me."

Tom was bewildered. He could not believe his ears.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said… take me… let her go."

Tom scuffed

"Of course, the great Harry Potter. Just have to be the perfect little hero, don't you?"

"I said let her go!"

Harry was so confused; he simply had no idea of what he had just sign up for and was starting to be particularly pissed at Riddle. All he knew was that he had to save Ginny, he just had to.

"Fine Potter, you've made your choice."

"Free her now."

"Not until you give me back that diary."

They looked intensely at each other for several seconds than came to understanding without opening their mouths. They advance toward each other slowly, Tom holding Harry's wand firmly against Ginny's neck and Harry with a hand holding the diary open, while the other had a tight grip on the fang. Eventually, they stopped and nodded. Tom pushed Ginny into Harry's arms just as Harry threw the diary at him. As Riddle cached the book in his hands, Harry gently laid Ginny at his feet. While Tom opened the diary to check, Harry took his chance and tried to grab his wand. Tom however, was gripping it too tightly.

"Oh no Potter, you don't."

"Give it back."

"No way, Potter."

They were both fighting for it so hardly that the wand eventually flew from their hands and onto the cold floor of the chamber. Harry started running toward it but felt a magical force restrain him.

"I thought we had a deal, Potter… huh, like I'd need a wand to stop you. Besides If I had wanted to use that wand to kill you, you wouldn't be standing right now… Still you can forget about getting it back… you might be one of the good guys but I'm no fool."

"Why not just kill me then?"

Harry just had to honour the Gryffindor's legendary stupid loud-mouthed courage.

"Do not tempt me Potter, I could just Accio that wand right now and kill you were you stand before you even understood what happened… I didn't kill you before because I wanted the pleasure of watching the Basilisks do it himself…"

"What's stopping you now?"

Harry didn't know just why he felt so bound to provoke the Slytherin so badly, it's not like he wanted to die: he just couldn't show him his fear.

"My god, Potter do you have some kind of death wish or are you just plain stupid? Like I said, we made a deal and I proud myself as being a man of my word… about you Potter?"

Harry tried to speak but found himself incapable of even just uttering a word. Tom was uncertain whether he felt bad about seeing him so disconcerted and vulnerable or if he rather just enjoyed it. He finally decided to take Harry out of misery.

"I'll just take your silence as a yes Potter... and to prove my good faith... Accio wand!"

The wand flew right into Riddle's hand. Harry gasped in horror. Tom just stood there and smiled.

"See? Not killing you... yet. So here is how it's going to work, first the girl will stay my captive until I get my life back, that will ensure me that you won't try any funny business again. If you do, I will kill both you and that girl. Either way I'll have what I want."

"Alright, I don't care just... just don't kill her... please."

"Good boy, Potter."

**So what did you think? Good enough or horrible? Please be kind and PLEASE review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Warning: Heavy slash an hard lemon in this chapter, so homophobes away!**

**Chapter 2: I Spy with my little eye…**

"Good boy, Potter."

Riddle waved the wand wordlessly and in a bright yellow flash of light, with the exception of a Basilisk's corpse and a phoenix, the chamber of secret was empty.

When Harry opened his eyes, he realized he was inside a hotel room. The room itself was pretty empty and rather austere. Harry felt so bleak and unsafe, standing within these unknown walls.

"Where...?"

"A hotel room obliviously, what does it look like?"

Tom was already undressing himself; he first got rid of his black robe, followed by his grey blazer and then practically ripped off his jumper. It felt so good to be able to do it for real once more. Just as little more to be flesh and blood again, he thought. He then turned around to face the puzzled and rather scarred expression on Harry's face. Again with this dilemma: do I feel bad about it or do I just plain enjoy it? Either way, Tom felt inexplicably bound to answer Potter's question a little bit more thoroughly.

"It's just some muggle hotel I remembered getting a particularly good night sleep in, that's all and moreover that's all you need to know. Now undress and get on the bed"

"Where is Ginny!"

Harry was getting sick and tired of Riddle's condescending attitude. The older boy only smirked at his anger and pointed him to a corner of the room where, close by a television, was the body of the little red-haired girl. Harry ran to her side and checked her pulse, it was regular. He felt so relief and gently ran his hand across the little girl's face.

"See, I've respected my end of the bargain, now it's your turn."

Tom couldn't wait to be truly alive again and he quickly approached the Gryffindor as Harry turned back to face him. Riddle was walking with assurance and determination toward the smaller boy. His eyes were now so full of anger and greed for life that Harry could clearly see the red within Tom's dark orbs. He knew he couldn't escape it; he had made a deal with the devil. Still he hoped... and there it was: his wand lying on a desk. But just as he caught a glimpse of it, he felt the Slytherin's firm hand squeezing his right arm tightly.

"Don't you even think about it Potter, I thought I made myself clear."

And with a wave of Riddle's arm the wand vanished. Harry might have been a Gryffindor, but now all strength and courage seemed to have abandoned him as Tom glared at him with fire in his eyes. He looked just about ready to kill him.

"Please... can I at least... clean myself?"

The older teen seemed to calm himself down and his irises came back to their original darkness. He took a step back and examined the dirty boy. He was covered in sweat, blood and black dirt from the chamber. His clothes were basically ruined. Riddle sighted.

"Fine, there is a bathroom on your left, there's a shower in it.

"Th-thanks... "

Harry rushed to the bathroom without another word or thought. He just closed and locked the door behind him and took off his clothes one by one, letting them fall to the floor as though nothing mattered. His mind was done racing, he knew he couldn't beat Riddle, he was lucky to even still be alive. More importantly, he knew trying anything meant putting Ginny's life in danger once more and he just couldn't take a chance like that ever again. Harry opened the shower and let the warm water clean him.

As the Slytherin heard the bathroom's door close and a few moments later the sound of the shower start, he let himself fall into a nearby chair. Like many times in his life, he was overwhelmed. Too much questions went through his head, too many feelings ran across the heart he thought had turned to stone years ago. He didn't want to do this, no matter how much pain he wanted to inflict upon the young Gryffindor, but he had no choice. Potter had made his decision. Tom honestly preferred him over the Weasly girl. He had only ever bedded men before and quite frankly the idea of doing it with a little girl sickened him. Not that the prospect of violating a 12 year old boy particularly enchanted him either.

Whilst this wasn't technically pedophiliac, seeing as they were both minor, it was still pretty sick and no matter how twisted Tom was, he was still sane enough to see that. Even if he really did hate Potter for what he had done to him or rather to Voldemort, Riddle really had no desire to rape the boy. He knew firsthand what that was like. He tried convincing himself:

_No! I mustn't think like that, I mustn't think about those awful memories. I cannot let myself be weaken by those pitiful feelings, I must stay strong, not let it get to me. I have to do this, it's the only way. He was the one to choose after all! I have no reason to feel this way._

Yet he just couldn't help himself. Deep down, he felt plain guilty. He had felt that pain and literally didn't wish it upon his worst enemy.

Meanwhile in the bathroom, Harry's was calming down. His mind had stop racing and he was simply cleaning himself, appreciating the hot water and the feel of the soap on his skin. Maybe he should have just listened to Dobby and not have come to Hogwarts this year, he though and couldn't help but smile. The idea of what was to come then started to form in his mind. He was about to lose his virginity... and to a man no less. Harry didn't know which of the two freaked him out the most. Harry didn't know the first thing about sex, and he had never even though about another boy in that way. Though to be fair, he had never thought of a girl in that way either. He could tell a beautiful girl apart form an ugly one just as well as he could tell a handsome boy from an ill-looking one. Furthermore, He had seen boys and girls flirting in the past but he himself had never felt those feelings people ironically call "magical" for anyone, really. So the whole "both of them being men" issue just seemed... less important to him somehow.

He remembered how Uncle Vernon once talked about those disgusting queers who now lived in their neighbourhood. This happen when he was just 8, he remembered. A gay couple had just moved in the house across the street. They seemed like nice enough people, no matter what his uncle said. Then again, most of what his uncle said was full of prejudice and ignorance and that, Harry had figured it out on his own quite early in his life. He even remembered one time when he had scratched his leg after Dudley had pushed him on the ground to amuse his friends. One of the men, Vince had immediately yelled at the kids, scaring them off and his boyfriend Will disinfected the wound and put a band-aid over it. So indeed to Harry the idea of two men together wasn't a big deal.

The really important issue was the sex part of it all. Harry had heard people talk about it, he had read some stuff about it, and he had listened to people talk about it on the radio and on television but still had never had the contact with the real thing before. He knew had it worked in theory. He even knew how it worked with two men, but that still didn't do anything to help. On the contrary, it only made him freak out even more. He took some time to calm down. He figured the most rational thing to do was simply to take it step by step. First of all he figured that since he was the one who would be... taken, he needed to... prepare. Harry was so confused. Sex was supposed to be about pleasure, or at least that's what he had heard. He simply couldn't understand how this sort of intrusion could be pleasurable. Still, if it had to happened, he'd rather be prepared.

Harry looked around for some object he could use. Finding none, he resolved to simply using his finger. He first coated his left hand in soap before bringing it to his behind. He started rubbing his butt cheeks slowly. It felt weird somehow. He had never tried touching himself like that before. It wasn't bad just... strange. He then brushed pass his ass crack and felt a tingle in his lower stomach. He decided to carry on with the exploration of his nether region. He used his other hand to grab his left ass cheek, allowing the exposure and access to his sweet pink puckered hole. Harry first touched is anus slightly with the tip of his finger. He gasped, realizing the great sensitivity of his asshole. Yet, the feeling he got from it was rather nice and so he started circling his cute little entrance, feeling the heat rising up in his body as he did so. Harry began to feel so warm and good, the hotness of his cheeks indicating to him how furiously he was blushing. As he gently pushed his finger inside, surprised at the tightness of his own anus, his penis suddenly began to get hard.

Harry was a little surprise at this. He had had boners before but never like this. He had never felt these immense waves of pleasure flowing throughout his entire body just by getting hard. Usually it happened to him when he was nervous or stressed about something. It was never anything but a rather painful annoyance to him. But now it felt so good, so right. It did hurt, but not like before. This time he knew what to do. It just felt so natural to him. He didn't need to ask himself any question. When his meat got fully solid, he just knew what the next step was. He slowly took a hold of his dick with his unoccupied hand and started squeezing and moving it down and up his shaft.

Harry hadn't realized he had made any noise, but Tom sure had. He had been taken right out of his thoughts by the boy's gasp and slow moans. He slowly and silently approached the bathroom door and whispered a quick alohomora accompanied by a swift hand movement. He then very discretely pushed the door open revealing quite a sight. One that the teen would have pretty much never imagined, even in the current situation. Harry, a finger up his ass, playing sensually with his little pink butthole and hand jacking off his rather big for his age prick. Tom was just completely puzzled as to what to do or think. Part of him was just paralyzed by incredulity. Another part told him to just close the door, let the boy finish off and get on with things.

Then Harry turned a bit to the left as he felt something rising up inside of him and more particularly within his dick. In doing so he unwittingly shoved his buttock right in front of Tom's gaze. Tom felt his need growing in his underwear. He tried to calm himself down. More importantly he tried to get himself to think of anything else so his groin would soften. It started to work but just then Harry had to go further. Indeed, the boy was beginning to get so tired from all the back and forth efforts and fingering action to keep procuring himself all those waves of pleasure. So naturally he had to remove his finger from inside his backdoor so he could put his hand on the bathroom wall and rest some of his bodyweight on it as his other hand kept working his rod.

This left his poor little rose hole all alone at the mercy of Riddle's eyes and the boy began to lose all self control as his cock began to rise up again. This time the young man knew there was nothing he could do to get himself out this heat that was starting to consume him. For the first time he truly did realize how beautiful Harry was. Before he could have just dismissed him as charming or adorable, but know it was clear to him; Harry Potter was not only handsome, but also increasingly sexually appealing. Good dam, he could just eat the boy up with a spoon! His hair was all dark and wild. His body was slim and hairless. His snow-white skin was flawless and looked so smooth that Tom felt in desperate need of touching it. He had long legs, strong arms and manly hand with long fingers that he was sure had a firm grip even for his age.

And that ass! Oh god that sweet ass! It was just big enough, plumb and nice. Tom just kept imagining it bouncing up and down in the air. His ass cheeks were just so round he felt like giving them such a good smack. Oh yeah Harry was such a naughty boy he deserved to get spanked a hundred times until his backside was perfectly red, hot and stingy. To would gladly do the spanking: anything to touch those sweet pale cheeks which definitely needed some colour. Harry then spread his legs as though he was deliberately determined to drive Tom to insanity by exposing more of his scrumptious body parts. And how deliciously attractive that body part was, Tom mused. As Harry bended down a little due to his body's difficulty to cope with all the pleasure he was giving himself, his arse parting in two, he completely revealed his luscious rosebud to his enemy. This display was more than enough to drive Tom over the edge and made him realize just how very tight his trousers were. He quickly unbuttoned them, along with his shirt which he trough on the floor before pulling his pants and briefs down. He took his long and fat stick in his hands started wanking at practically the same rhythm as Harry, all the while not missing a single minute of Harry's anal disclosure.

As Tom liked one of his fingered before starting to stimulate his left nipple, he stared shamelessly into the pink hole and liked his lips at its perfection. It was so small yet so darn sexy. Tom had to resist the urge to just go over the little boy, get down on his knees and start liking and kissing that boy's pretty little anus. Tom was certain little Harry tasted delicious down there. Then again Tom pretty much always enjoyed the taste of guy's ass; so musky and manly. Although he felt shameful to admit it and considered it to be one of the lowest forms of degradation, Tom had always been a fan of rimming; both on the receiving or giving end. Besides the oblivious hotness surrounding the sight alone of a nice warm and sweaty man's booty, there was so much more to it. First there was the sweet scent literally radiating with manliness.

Then there was the skin contact of his lips with the smooth skin of the butt and the far more sensible feel of the anal region as a whole as well as the soft touch of the perineum. And then the taste; Tom had never though he would like it. First time he had done it he really didn't have a choice as his face had been forced into the older guy's butt crack and his nose pinched until he was force to open his mouth. The guy forcing his head in had told him to lick if he valued his life and so he had no choice but to comply. Although surprised at first, Tom had quickly come to love it and had proceeded to eat out the asshole like his life depended on it, which at the time it did. Fortunately for him that older bastard as well as all the other guys he had rimed after that in the past had all been very self-conscious about their personal hygiene and Tom could tell Harry was just as extremely clean in that particular part of his anatomy.

Tom could just tell the taste of this cute little bum hole was going to be succulent. As he kept working on his penis, he imagined all the things he'd like to do to that fine little arse. First he would start by inhaling it and taking in the sweet smell of adolescence. He would then commence kissing and sucking on each of the butt cheeks, all the while getting screams of pleasures and deep moans from his nemesis. He would then bite into his butt skin, not too hard to make it too painful for the boy, but enough to leave marks at various places: marks that would serve to mark Harry as his property. To appease the young Gryffindor he would then let his tongue pass all over his little backside, knowing all the licking would help to make the pain go away. He would then spread his cheeks, lick on each sides of his asshole and circle around it with his tongue to tease him.

He would then quickly dart the pucker with the tip of his tongue a couple of times before giving it a nice long and huge lick. He would follow up with many quick licks which would both tickle and pleasure Harry who would start melting under his attentions. Then he would spread the cheeks even further apart to open the puckered entrance as much as possible and just literally plunge his labial organ inside the muscle circle and fully taste his captive. Afterwards, he would go even further by moving his tongue within the rectal canal, latching at Harry' anal walls in order to make him quiver with desire for more. Oh yeah, before long he would have the little guy begging for that older boy's dick up his ass. Tom would finish his meal by planting his teeth delicately yet fiercely into the meat ring, assuredly making Harry cum without even the slightest stimulation to his shaft.

With all these images of salad tossing literally tossing through his mind, combined with the superb view of a sexy young Gryffindor touching himself, Tom was not surprise to feel his release coming a lot sooner than usual. However, just as he kept pumping he couldn't help but let a yelp escape his pink lips which was unfortunately heard by Harry who was just as close to coming as Tom. The boy turned around and, seeing Tom starring, stopped all action tried and covering himself up with the shower curtain. Tom quickly putted his trousers back on and went to sit back down in his chair, furiously blushing.

Harry eventually got out of the bathroom, wearing a bathrobe far too large for him. Tom turned to look at him and saw fire in the boy's eyes.

"How dare you spy on me! You had not rights."

Although Tom agreed deep down, he just could not admit that he was wrong, so instead he decided to tease Harry even more.

"Well it's not my fault you were so laud. I had to come and check on you. You could have been trying to escape."

Tom said quietly before getting out of his chair and facing the wall so as to avoid another frankly disturbing eye contact with Harry.

"Still, you didn't have to... you know."

Harry went to face him and quickly glanced at Tom's crotch while saying that and the Slytherin understood that the boy knew he had been masturbating while watching him. This just angered and shamed him even more and he turned to avert the boy's eyes once again. His pride was now hanging in the balance so first tried denying everything.

"I'm sure I don't know what you are talking about."

"Oh please, you totally had one hand... down there."

Harry was just not going to let him get away with it so easily. Tom was angrier than ever and turned to face the boy with deep red eyes that almost burned through Harry's skin who took a few steps back.

"Like you are one to talk; the guy who had one hand squeezing his tiny prick while the other was busy feeling his buns and playing with his arsehole."

Harry, though still a little scared couldn't just take that without a comeback.

"Well it's not like I really have a choice here! I mean you are going to... to..."

Seeing the pain and fear in the boy's gorgeous emerald eyes, Tom calmed down a little.

"Look I'm sorry... I don't want to do this to you anymore than you want me to do it to you, I just..."

Tom tried putting his hand on the boy's shoulder but it was quickly knocked aside by Harry who looked furiously at him.

"Ha ha! You're so full of it! You just can wait to do it!"

"That's not..."

"True? Oh yes it is. Just admit it Tom, you can't wait to hurt me again."

Tom frown, exasperated and angry.

"Hey I'm not the one making the bloody rules here! It's not my fault the ritual requires blood taken from a virgin. Besides you're the one who chose this. Don't you think you're being a little unfair here!"

"Unfair! You took my parents away from me, you were going to kill Ginny and you tried to kill me. I think I'm being more than fair when I say that you are nothing but a murderer!"

Tom was surprisingly hurt by that remark and tried to defend himself.

"Hey I did not kill your parents, Voldemort did!"

"Like it makes a difference; you killed that girl just because she was muggleborn when you were just sixteen. You were always the same. You have always been a killer. Like it or not, you are the one responsible for the death of my mom and dad and you would have killed me as an infant if you could have and you know why? Because you're evil, you just are and you always will be. There's just nothing else to you but a selfish monster."

Tom was completely shocked and was having a hard time trying to stay calm and retaining his composure. For the first time since he had discovered his powers, not only was someone courageous enough to stand up to him, but the things he heard actually affected him. Hearing the pain and sadness in the boy's voice and seeing the anger in his eyes made him feel genuinely guilty and remorseful. He no longer had any witty remarks or savant comebacks to throw at the kid. Tom didn't think he had ever felt this horrible about himself. The emotions were rising up inside of him along with a powerful rage. He was really beginning to hate Harry Potter. Before, he just hated him by principle, because he had vanquished his future self when he was just a baby. But now the boy was making him doubtful, making him loose his legendary coldness and focus, and he hated him for that. He had spent years solidifying his amorality and antipathy but now, the boy's words were echoing in his mind and shattering his internal barriers and that, he just could not stand for it. When tears began to form in his eyes, he knew he couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop it!" he ordered.

Seeing the tears, Harry should have known to stop, but it felt so good to see his enemy finally feeling remorse for his acts, it was so satisfying to see him loose his cool. So, against his better judgment he kept going further.

"What's wrong? Can't take the truth is that it? Can't accept the fact that you took everything from me and made my life miserable? Can't deal with the fact that you're just a monster who enjoys torturing people? Face it Tom, anyone who enters your life ends up either hurt or dead."

"Stop it." Tom's voice was almost silent and he started backing up until he touched the wall. Harry enjoyed this and went forward, getting closer and closer to Riddle as he kept tormenting him. His voice took a sarcastic tone as he decided to hit below the belt.

"You know, it wouldn't be so bad if you were just a murdering fiend but no, of course you also have to be a homo-pedophile rapist!"

"Stop it… please." Tom sounded like he was begging, but Harry was so happy to see the table turns and finally be the one in power over the older boy that he just couldn't help himself. He got so close that his mouth was only a few inches from Tom's ear.

"Come on, admit it. You were totally getting off watching me naked. You just wanted to get closer so you could take me against my will right then and there. Tell me. What excites you the most? That I'm a boy? Or that I'm still just a kid, you perverted freak!"

Tom cracked. He just couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop it… Stop it… I said Stop it!"

And before Harry knew what had happened, he was laying on the bed with Tom on top of him, the older boy's hands holding down his wrist and his knees keeping his legs from moving.

**Warned you about the lemon... PLEASE review! Love you!**

**BTW: next chapter includes a rape (which I am totally against) scene and I will be graphic because... that is my style so... but don't worry these two will indeed end up together happily.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Warning: Heavy slash, hard lemon AND RAPE scene in this chapter.**

**Chapter 3: Stop it. Stop it! Stop it? !  
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And before Harry knew what had happen, he was laying on the bed with Tom on top of him, the older boy's hands holding down his wrists and his knees keeping his legs from moving.

Harry was completely petrified now. He no longer had the guts to say any more cold or harsh words to his captor. In fact, he no longer had the guts to say much of anything. Tom's gaze had gone beyond fire. Harry though he might have been able to gather up some courage again if what he had seen in those eyes was the red of fury or hatred. But this was just different. His eyes were neither in their normal black state nor in their fiery red one. This colour was one Harry had never seen before. It was pretty much a mixture of the two, giving a rather burgundy shade. While Harry was puzzled by them, the expression that accompanied those eyes left no place for interpretation. It was an unmistakable combination of cold rage and lethal desire. Harry thought: "so this is the colour of passionate death": a murdering glare, the kind that you felt could kill you if only let it.

Tom's face had become a mask of frozen bitterness which, Harry though matched just about perfectly with the winter paleness of his skin. Harry knew he had crossed all the lines he could have possibly crossed with that person. One who was not only stronger and more powerful than he was, but who also had already several reasons to want him dead. He cursed himself for his own daring and foolishness. The Gryffindor felt the older boy's warm breath on him. It smelled nice and minty and Harry shuddered when he felt a shiver down his spine as the hot air came in contact with the bare skin of his neck. That's when the boy realized he had not stopped starring at the teen's face. Harry couldn't help but notice the beauty of it and he wondered; how could a demon possess such angelic features? Yet, as he examined the Slytherin's expression more thoroughly what he saw in it was nothing beautiful. Indeed, the boy noticed something that further afraid him: disdain. An undeniable superiority mangled with disgust was engraved in Tom's features. It made Harry feel like he was worthless, like his life was totally insignificant. He felt like he was nothing under that gaze and whatever happened to him was not important.

Suddenly the young man above him slowly let go of one of his harms. Harry felt a slight release that was cut drastically short when both his wrists were harshly squeezed by Riddle's left hand and brought above his head. The boy let out a quick cry of surprise as his nemesis' right hand went to caress his groin through the bathrobe's fabric. Harry moan softly as his cheeks began to boil up. He looked at Tom with a mix of confusion and embarrassment. Tom began to spoke in a sensuous and distinctively cruel voice.

"My, my... what do we have... here?"

"Wha... what are you... doing?"

Harry was having a hard time speaking and breathing normally as Tom accelerated his movements in his lower region.

"Again with the dumb inquiries, Potter. What does it look like I'm doing?"

Then Harry began feeling less horny and more scared as the strokes became less gentle and controlled and more rapid and rough.

"I'm doing exactly what you told me. I'm being the very monster you told me I was. You should be happy... I'm going to... what words did you use again? Oh yeah! Take you against you will right here and there!"

Tom's hand went under the bathrobe and his moves took a definitely violent pace.

"Ah! Please... it..."

"Hurts? ! Is that it? ! Do you think it actually hurts? ! Oh believe me Potter; you have nothing to worry about... because you've yet to experience any real kind of pain!"

And with that Tom undid the knock of the robe. The garment remained attached by some buttons so he simply ripped it open, still holding Harry down with his own body, his right hand now holding Harry's meat in its grasp. Tom smirked and spoke viciously in the boy's ear.

"Again... don't worry... I'll take care of that."

He began pumping Harry's cock furiously. He then licked and bit sharply into the boy's ear, enjoying the cries of pain he got out of him.

"See... told you. And that's just the beginning."

Tom used his free hand to arc Harry's back, bringing his chest closer to him; the teen lowered his head and took of the boy's nipple into his mouth; licking, sucking and biting at it until a little blood came out. The desperate yelp of pain that came from his enemy was all the incisive he needed to continue, so he started giving the same treatment to the other nipple. Tom worked it to the core until it was blue and kept on sucking and biting Harry's flesh on various places all over his torso. He would always start gently and then, it would just get plain brutal. Tears began forming in Harry's eyes. The boy kept trying to say something but the only things that came out of his mouth were broken whimpers, loud moans and sometimes even deep screams. When he finally gathered his thoughts enough to utter words, the only thing that was spoken was;

"It... Ah! Really... Oh! Hurts! Please! St..."

"Stop it? !"

And he stopped... and looked at the boy with uncontained rage.

"Did you? !"

Understanding the question, Harry realized what a jerk he had been before being put on the bed. Even though he still felt justify for what he had said, he couldn't help but feel bad about it, now that he saw the hurt and resentment in Tom's gorgeous face. But the Slytherin was far from done.

"Did you stop? ! Even when I literally begged you like a poor defenceless child. Did you, you bitch!"

And though Harry never saw that slap in the face coming, he definitely felt it. The tears began rolling down his eyes and though he suffered, he had felt Tom's pain through that slap even more than he had felt his own afterwards. The boy looked at his opposite with compassion but all he got in return was ire and despise.

"Don't! Don't you dare look at me like that... I don't want your pity! You're the pathetic and vulnerable little boy here, not me! And I think it's time I put you right back in your place!"

As he yelled at Harry, he took one of the boy's legs up and spread it so he could easily get in between the two. His captive looked at him terrified, knowing what was to come.

"No, no, no please! ... Please... Please not this... not like that!

Seeing the boy so desperate and scarred, Tom's wrath slowly dissolved... only to be replace by his detestable smirk. He had turned back into his original, cold, composed and deathly self. Now that he was past his excess of uncontrolled emotions, he was ready to act cunningly again. Now that he was over his previous fury and had regain the focus that boy had made him loose, he was finally ready to gain is proper revenge. He was ready to act out with his brain on his new-found hatred instead of brutally and stupidly like one of the brawny subordinates he had back in the days at Hogwarts. He was ready to have some fun now. He was ready to really hurt the boy now. Ready to destroy him. To scar him for life. Inside and out. His devil smile widen as he started stroking Harry's member gently again.

"Oh come on Potter... stop acting like this isn't exactly what you want. I think we both know you... quite like it down there... don't you?"

Harry was completely baffled now: way past the point of confusion with all of Tom's mood swings. Just a minute ago, Riddle's voice was harsh, rash and full of anger and now... not only was it calm, it was kind of... overly sweet and lascivious... and his hands moving like that, so softly on his shaft... like he was trying to seduce him. And yet, Harry could just tell there was something wrong with that voice. Something not so seductive and not quite as charming as his captive had probably intended it to be. Something in the intonation toward the end of the sentence that the Slytherin tried to leave uncovered but that the boy had perceived. Whatever it was, Harry figured it did not bode well for him. The boy spoke through moans.

"What... what are you saying...?"

"Oh please Potter. Admit it. You are enjoying what I am doing to you right now... Aren't you?"

"I'm... not! It's... gross... and wrong! I... uh..."

"Huh! That pretty little mouth of yours might be able to lie well Potter, but as for the rest of your tiny and oh so frail body... it just doesn't seem to be as talented."

Tom chuckled and cupped Harry's ball before starting to delicately play with them using his fingers. The boy was desperately trying to look as angry on the outside as he felt on the inside after hearing all those insinuations about him. However, he failed miserably as he sensed his entire being melt under Tom's rather expert attentions. He felt like his body had a mind of its own in this situation; a mind that only thought of the pleasure at end. What's worse, he couldn't seem to keep the sounds of pleasure from escaping his oral orifice. Theses moans were simply delectable to the young man teasing him and Tom laughed at his enemy's expression and helplessness.

"Stop pretending little boy! Just face the facts: if I'm perverted then so are you!"

"No! No you're... uh... wrong... um... I'm... nothing... like you!"

"You can keep trying to lie to me but honestly... how long do you expect you'll be able to lie to yourself?"

Harry felt cornered just then. He indeed had been trying to deny his pleasure to both his captor and himself. He refused to admit to something his body had long revealed: that he was in fact having an excruciatingly good time under Tom's caring touch. Although he knew the teen only did it to enrage him, he could not fake any displeasure. The older boy's hands were complete miracle workers and all the pain he had felt earlier seemed to have transformed into pure ecstasy. A surprised moan escaped his lips when Tom touch the tip of his dick and gathered some precum between his index finger and thumb.

"Would you look at that? Looks like somebody is having even more fun that what I suspected."

That was it. Harry didn't care how much he physically enjoyed this; he was no going to let Riddle have the pleasure of humiliating him anymore. The strength and confidence of his voice just then, astounded both Tom and himself.

"Get your hands off me Riddle! I'm serious. Let go of me right now. This is just sick!

Tom chuckled and took Harry's chin in his free hand. He turned the boy's head so he could gaze down at a frail little read-head girl's body laying there.

"Isn't our little hero forgetting something here?"

Harry looked at Ginny and realized he had completely forgotten about her. Tom let go of his chin and the Gryffindor turned his head back to gaze up angrily at his nemesis.

"If you really have to do this, at least have the courtesy of knocking me unconscious so I don't have to endure anymore of your disgusting behaviours!"

Tom was once again taken by surprise. He kept his cool none the less and even smiled at the boy.

"Silly rabbit... Don't you get it? I want you to feel every single thing I'm going to do to you. I want you to feel... the pleasure... and the pain even more: one that will stay with you forever... just like that scar of yours. And though probably nobody will ever see it, you will always feel inside of you. That's what matters to me. It will haunt you. It will slowly kill you from within even. That's all the revenge I need."

Then Harry understood. So that was it; that weird intonation, the dark desire hidden behind his sweet voice. The boy looked at the teen with a gaze that spoke for itself.

"So... you mean..."

"Yes. Not only am I going to fuck the life out of you... I'm going to make you enjoy it... I'll make you scream, I'll make you like it. And you... you'll never be able to look at yourself in the mirror... ever again. Shame and humiliation will be your eternal companions, you heard me? I am going to make you hate yourself Potter. That is exactly what I mean... I'm glad to see we finally understand each other."

Harry was on the brink of tears once again but he refused to allow the water to pass his eyelids again. He knew that was all Tom wanted: his reaction, his tears, his moans of pleasure and his cries of pain. He wanted him to suffer and enjoy it so he could feel deep shame. He wanted to make him feel like a piece of meat, like some gutter slut with no self-esteem, wanted to make him feel like he was nothing but skin. Harry could not believe anyone would actually want to make a person feel like that. He could not believe one would be so heartless and cruel that they would degrade someone like that. The boy didn't understand how even someone like the Heir of Slytherin would not think twice before taking away not only a person's pride but also her sense of self worth; her dignity as a human being.

After all, Tom was human too. Harry knew he had said to him that he was nothing but a monster but... he just said it to hurt him, to pay him back for the life he had had to endure because of Voldemort. Deep down, Harry did see the difference between this young man and the Dark Lord he had faced, just one year ago. But back when he had said that the two were the same, he was just so satisfied with his revenge that he had refused to listen to anything other than his anger. But the boy had seen Tom on the edge of tears. He had seen his humanity, his vulnerability. He had seen him in the very same state he was in now. And that made it even more difficult for Harry to believe that this was actually happening.

He was completely shocked that Tom was serious about this. The teen wanted to make him feel guilty... for enjoying his body... for enjoying sex. That is what it was... and though he still knew so little about sex, somehow... Harry just knew that that was horrible and he could not accept it. Sex was not supposed to be about guilt or shame. It was supposed to be about pleasure and beauty. Harry's stupefaction was beyond words... he wanted so hard to believe that Tom was not going to prove him right... that he was not going to be the monster he said he was and yet... a monster... void of feelings and compassion... is exactly what he could see in that young man's eyes. In fact, that's all he could see. No matter how hard he tried.

In fact, he was so consternate with the young man's words and his lack of humanity in that very moment that he let out a little cry of surprise when the Slytherin lifted his left leg for a better access to his posterior. Seeing the hint of a tiny little pink entrance, Tom smiled and felt his erection taking life again. He huffed and smile evilly at the boy who tried to cover his fear with his best anger face. Tom smirked and took two of his fingers to his lips. He then licked them from bottom to top before sticking them in his mouth. Then he started sucking on them in the most obscene manner, closing his eyes sexily, taking each of his long digits slowly in and out of mouth suggestively and licking his lips seductively. Although he did not say it, Tom very much appreciated the taste of Harry's precum that had previously dried on his fingertips.

The boy looked at him with a mix of anticipation and faked disgust: he was actually a little turned on by Tom's luscious display although he refused to give Tom the very benefits he was looking for. However, seeing the resistance in the boy's glare only made Tom want go further. And so he did. He let his hand slide down between Harry's two soft hairless buns. The teen had to actually take a moment for himself to cope with the soft feel of the boy's buttcheeks: they were even smoother and creamier than what he had expected. The feel of Harry's little anus was even more extraordinary. It felt so amazingly fragile that contact with that little boy's flesh only became all the more appealing to Tom. Harry's facade started cracking as the older boy started swirling his extremely sensible anal cavity with the tip of one of his wet digits.

"Hum... I seem to remember a little boy who liked to play with his little butthole just like that. He really did look like he was enjoying himself while doing it... now why is it that you remind me so much of him?"

Harry refused to play along. Tom had no problem seeing that but to him it only made the game that much more fun, so he kept going.

"Must be because you're both whores."

Harry gazed upon his enemy with indignation and fury. He was rewarded by a devilish smile.

"Oh don't look at me like that Potter. You know it's true. You are nothing but a little whore who enjoys anything up his ass."

"Not... true."

That was all the answer he got out of the boy.

"Oh don't try and play games with me... you know I saw you. I saw you... fingering yourself... like this."

And he inserted his index inside the pink cleft. Harry gasped at the intrusion and tried to control his body without great success. Tom was even more turned on as he felt the boy's incredible heat warm him up and his rectal wall closing in on his digit.

"Yes. Just like this. Merlin's beard, I come you can even get a finger in there without screaming... so damn tight..."

Harry blushed as his body began to accustom to the presence inside of him.

"Now... where was I? Oh yeah! Then you started... pulling out."

And he quickly retreated half of his finger.

"And pushing back in again..."

And the Slytherin pushed his digit all the way up Harry's bum.

"So... very... tight. Hum... speaking of tight... I've got a little friend here who's getting more and more impatient to visit you boy."

Harry's eyes widened as he saw the size of Tom's bulge.

"So then, I supposed you did that a couple of time just to enjoy the feeling of friction inside your arse."

As Tom spoke he began a quick series of push and pull in and out of the precious little hole. Harry didn't know it but the other boy was having as much pleasure shoving and moving his finger inside his little derriere as the he was, feeling the tiny member deep within his special place. In truth, he was slowly but surely losing his mind to the pleasure. Tom was already more than good with just that one finger, so when he added a second one Harry was completely caught off guard. It felt a little painful at first since he only had so much space in there. However, as Tom's expert digits worked him up nicely, the pain quickly became pleasure again. Tom did some back and forth with his two fingers before starting to scissor Harry's asshole. The boy was totally out of it now, so Tom took that opportunity to rapidly take his fat cock out his trousers. Unfortunately for him, as soon as Harry saw that monster of a shaft, he became frantic and lost all self-control. He was crying, shouting and struggling with his captor, utterly terrified.

"No! No! No! Please! ... I can't! It's too big... I can't! I'm scared!"

When he saw the boy in such a state, Tom immediately let go of his anger for a moment and tried calming him down while holding him down on the bed.

"Hey, hey, hey... Shushhhhh... it's okay. Everything's alright, just calm down boy. It's going to be alright okay. Shushhhhhhhh... just relax... I'm not going to do anything..."

"Yes you are!"

Harry sounded just like a hysterically afraid little child. All of his emotions were mixed up and he felt more confused and lost than ever before.

"No, no, no I promise... I'm not going to do it... now please relax!"

"No! The second I stop you're just going to tear me apart and make me... make me..."

Harry was trying so hard not to seem so helpless, but it was way too hard for him to keep a front anymore. He was just so distraught: his whole world didn't make any sense anymore. He was crying so hard that Tom couldn't help but realize that he had indeed gone way too far.

"Please Potter... I'm being serious here! Please believe me... I'm sorry okay! I really am sorry, please! Please, just calm down. Just stop it... you heard me? Please..."

But Harry would not stop crying. Tom couldn't take it anymore. Guilt was starting to grow back inside of him, so he took the boy by the shoulders. He shook him hard and yelled:

"Stop it!"

And Harry stopped and stood there, bewildered. He looked into the young man's eyes and saw something he was certain he had never seen there before... genuine regrets.

"Please... I'm being honest, I swear... I really am sorry... believe me damn it!"

Harry just stood there speechless for a good five minutes. Unable to speak, unable to think straight until, eventually he made his decision. And while part of him really did wanted to believe...

"Liar!"

And as he shouted that fateful word, Harry hit Tom in the face with the back of his hand. The Slytherin just stood there... in the exact same state of bewilderment as Harry was in, only a few moments ago. The boy breathed heavily a couple of time as he let anger take over his entire body and mind. Once he was completely full of rage and hatred, he spoke again. His strained voice was barely recognizable due to all the previous crying and shouting.

"I don't believe you! You're just a liar and a thief who took everything he could away from me. My life, my parents, my friends; everything I've ever had... That's what you do... you just take, and you take, and you take without ever caring about anybody else but yourself! ... I hate you! You're just a monster Tom. That's all you are: a monster!"

Then Harry froze, noticing a mark across Riddle's cheek, right where he had slapped him. A little blood was leaking from the wound and the boy realized he had scratched Tom's oh so perfect face and had actually made the older guy bleed. Tom turned his head back slowly to face him. Just one look was enough for Harry to see that the demon was back in town. The young man took his hand to his face to wipe the bleeding cut. Tom looked at the red fluid running down his hand and squeezed his fist in anger. He then turned his gaze to the boy.

"Is this really what you think of me?"

Harry was hesitant at first but refused to back down now. He was fade up with being the scarred little boy.

"Y... yes!"

Tom chuckled a bit then through his head back laughing. His laugh had nothing cheerful or joyful about it. It was just painfully cold and horrifying. The Slytherin then swiftly grabbed the boy firmly by the throat. Harry began to struggle for air and tried using both of his hands to release himself of the older boy's grasp. It proved very difficult but he managed anyway. However, just as Tom lost hold of the boy's throat, he grabbed both of his wrists and putted them over his head, just like before.

"Wha... what are you doing!"

"Well like you said, I took everything away from you right? ! ... So you probably won't have any problem with me taking just one more little thing... right here and now."

Tom positioned himself. His cock was right in front of the boy's tiny hole. Harry looked down at the dick, absolutely terrified.

"No!"

"Oh yes! Take it bitch!"

And just like that Tom penetrated Harry. The boy screamed his little heart out. Although he had had some preparation, nothing in the world could have prepared him for such a forced entry. The older boy had stopped halfway to appreciate both the pain he had made his enemy feel and the spasm of utter pleasure he had felt in a single thrust inside that little body. Hearing his victim cry out with all he had left of voice and seeing blood spilling from his anus, Tom was ready to keep going. He pushed in further, completely filling up the boy's rectum. Harry had never felt his ass being so full. Tom had literally stuffed his little buttock with his huge meat. The boy didn't have time to adjust to the size of that member before the other guy started pounding his arse hard and deep. Tom thrusts became more violent each time and drew more blood out of the Gryffindor's anal wounds. His tiny pink opening had been ripped had several places after the Slytherin had forcefully took him. The sounds of desperate yells, crying outbursts and Tom's balls slapping against Harry's bubble butt resonated through the small room.

"Please! Stop! It hurts so much! Ah!"

"Yeah you like it when hurts don't you? Uh! You're nothing but a little slut who gets off getting fucked up the ass. Oh! Now tell me! Tell me how much you like it Potter. Um... I know you like it! You like taking my big dick in your tiny rear! ... Oh, you're fucking getting your rocks off right now aren't you! God that little rump of yours is tight... ha, ha no wonder you're bleeding like a stock pig you fucking whore!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah!"

"Go on! Keep on screaming! That's all a bloody cum bucket like you deserves! Keep crying I tell you! It freaking turns me on! Ha, ha! You should see your face Potter! Pathetic! You heard that? ! Fucking pathetic!"

Tom kept rushing in and out of the small, pink and now bloody entrance. It was so thigh despite his efforts to tear it open that the young man knew he would not last very long. So, he accelerated as much as he possibly could until he reached a pulverizing climax. As he came in a deep and loud holler of release, Harry reached the culmination of his pain and let out a most powerful bellow. In a second the entire room was filled with the loudest noises it had ever known... but just then... Tom's gaze was overcome by a powerful flash of light! He suddenly had many visions running through his mind. Visions so vivid, at first he believed they were really happening right before his eyes. Visions... of Harry's past.

Tom witnessed a younger version of Harry... being abused... by a fat man, a skinny lady and a chubby boy. They were all rather unpleasing to look at but what were really displeasing to watch were the things they were doing. In the visions little Harry was being pushed into a closet under a staircase and locked inside. He was given no meals for days. He was being hit and yelled at for things the little fat boy clearly had done. He was thrown on the ground by that very same boy and beaten up by him and his friends. Even worse, he was actually forced to make breakfast for those bastards! He was being so physically and mentally bashed by those awful pigs... Tom could see him cry, all alone in this poor excuse he had for a room. Seeing the pain, the hurt and more importantly... the truth behind all those accusations that he had made the boy's life a living hell... and he really did had... Tom just lost all of his anger and psychopathic mindset altogether.

However, when the visions stopped and he came to... Harry was laying silent and motionless on the bed... the sheets were covered in his blood... and Tom couldn't even hear his breathing anymore...

**ATTENTION EVERY READERS!**

**MANY POINTS TO DISCUSS, SO LISTEN UP!**

1) First of all, a huge THANK YOU to anybody who favoured, story alerted, reviewed, author alerted (WOW!) or even simply read my fic! HOWEVER, I would like to ask you all to PLEASE, please, please, please REVIEW! If you have put this story in your favourite or story is alert, it is great BUT I would really, really, really appreciate some comments/feedback/advice. I don't know about other authors but to me there is nothing more wonderful and amazing then to read a review from a reader. There is no greater joy for me as a writer. EVEN if all you have to say is "I like it". Trust me, it is absolutely worth doing. It puts a smile on my face and gives me the energy to update as quickly as possible. However, if what you have the say is more on the lines of "It needs work" PLEASE, be a little more thorough and specific. CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is always welcomed with open arms on my part.

As a bitch who acknowledges his past mistakes, I will admit that 4 years ago I use to be a flamer and I would leave nasty comments whenever I read something that displeased me. I was young and stupid back then and I know better now. Also I apologized to the people I wrote mean things to because I realized I was wrong. So, I will say this: any flaming comments telling me I'm a monster for writing about rape or a poor excuse for a writer will be deleted. However, before it has to come to this, I wanted to share my past and advise all of you to be smarter then I was back then. Also, next time you see a hate comment from anyone, anywhere remember: people who hate are stupid like I use to be... which doesn't mean I am not still stupid at times... cause I am... and I also acknowledge that I am not the greatest writer on earth or on this site and that I know I need improvement so please, if you have any advice to give me: go ahead! Thank you! AND if you have already wrote a review, I would love to hear more from you. In fact, in my dream world I would LOVE to see all of you leave a review for each chapters, again even if all you to say: "good!" or "nice!".

2) Forgive me for any spelling mistakes (there must be so many. :/). English is not my first language so...

3) I definitely think this chapter is not one of my best so REALLY if you have ANY suggestion, feel free! I don't know I just feel like I might have gone all over the place with this chapter and I will probably rewrite it... someday... HOPEFULLY with your suggestions... so yeah, tell me if you think it should be rewritten, yes or no and PLEASE tell me why either way. I promise the next chapter will be better!

4) Again don't worry: HAPPY ENDING!

5) There are some characters that died in the books and movies that I WILL NOT kill. HOWEVER, I am not telling who or how many there are. You'll have to wait and see.

6) There will be other gay couples and A LOT MORE (consensual, tender yet rough) sex scenes in the futures for all those pretty boys! I am thinking of many possible combinations for three and four ways and even maybe... who knows? ! (^^). Harry and Tom will be the main couple however and I am not telling you who the other couples will be or even if once formed they will stay together.

7) About the rape scene... I do not think I will redo one, at least not in this fic and... If you think it was too graphic... well I warned you and for those who think I was not graphic enough... I was indeed less graphic than I originally planned to be but... I like the way it turned out and... I guess I just feel more comfortable writing graphically about tender (yet rough and hot) and consensual sex (though a little forcing at first is not always bad lol! just kidding!)... That's all!

8) I like to write about sex... I feel in ways people usually don't write about sex... I like some kinky stuff and I will definitely write some very hot and very detailed and very I guess unorthodox sex scenes in the very near future. What I mean is I don't just want to write a poetic sex scene where everything is sugar quoted and metaphoric. I am a man and although I am a gay boy, I am still a guy first and foremost and I love me some hot, muscled, sweaty, sticky and dirty (not too dirty!) sex! For example, I am a fan of rimming so... It will be back on the menu... so to speak... eventually. I also like (to write about) spanking... well I'm into a lot of kinky stuff so... However, I would like to assure you all that all the things I will write about are still in the realm of decency... I think... In fact you know what, here's the deal: while I already have plans for many sexy scenes and sexual activities a little out of curriculum, I would like to know if you have any personal favourites? If you do and you would like me to write about them in this fic, simple... write me a REVIEW! You can even suggest me pairings! However, as the author I reserve myself the write to (politely) turn down a suggestion but... you never know... maybe I just so happen to love the exact same thing as you so... take a chance!

On that note, there are also many things I am absolutely NOT into so... I am not going to give examples here because as a studying future sexologist (no, for real that actually is my career profile, honestly)... let's just say I know of many kinks that I wish I didn't know about so... to spare your little minds I'm just not gonna. ALSO, if you know of certain sex practices you fear might be in this fic and that you DON'T want to see in this fic, again please write a REVIEW and I will definitely answer you back as quickly as possible... even if it is to answer that unfortunately I will indeed put that in the fic. However, just knowing you don't really like a certain practice MIGHT just convince me to skip a little faster through that part. Also, even if I stand firm with my ideas, I will most absolutely put a warning for a chapter containing that certain kink. SEE! I AM trying to make you happy!

9) I've settled a schedule and I will try to update one chapter per week. So this time next Tuesday, feel free to send me a pm saying: Yo where's my new chapter BIATCH? !

10) The: "..." is a little love of mine and is here to stay! So... Get use to it... PLEASE? !

11) BTW: LOOKING FOR A BETA READER! I KNOW I NEED ONE, DON'T WORRY!

12) Also, I will be perfectly honest: I have seen all the movies, but I only read Chamber of Secrets... like an eternity ago. I loved it by the way but the fact is I am not a good novel reader because I just can't get myself to sit down and read a book... it literally takes me forever. I wish I was able to but... I'm not. To be honest I'm more of an encyclopedia or textbook kind of guy... that is... short simple facts... easy to read and you get the important stuff, so therefore I do know what happened in the books, even though I have not read them, for instance I know that Harry has the emerald eyes of his mother despite the movie portrayal and I can tell when something in the movie just did not happen the books, I also know about Peeve and other characters who did not make it in the movie adaptation which I think all in all did a fairly good job, even if the books are most likely better.

13) Finally, all have to say is: COVER GIRL! PUT THE BASS IN YOUR WALK! And DON'T BE JEALOUS OF MY BOOGIE! You better be grateful to RuPaul who kept telling me: YOU BETTER WORK every time I felt like doing something OTHER than writing this fic for you AWESOME people!

**LOVE YOU!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Remember people: PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW EACH CHAPTER!**

**Chapter 4: It hurts... (Part 1)**

However, when the visions stopped and he came to... Harry was laying silent and motionless on the bed... the sheets were covered in his blood... and Tom couldn't even hear his breathing anymore...

He began freaking out and quickly checked the boy's pulse and put a finger under his nose. Then, Tom felt a steady heartbeat and a faint expiration on his digit. The boy had simply passed out. The older guy certainly couldn't blame him for that... but Potter would live... that's what mattered right now. Tom slowly drew his dick out of the bloody hole. His cock was covered in a mix of the vital liquid and his own semen. He was a little disgusted, seeing as blood was definitely not a turn on for him, so he took a hold of the cover and wiped his member clean with the soft fabric. He watched his cum oozing out of Harry's little butchered entrance and the sight of it was just so beyond nasty that he suddenly felt like vomiting.

Never the less, he retained his legendary stoicism. The boy was not dead... that's all he could thing of right now. Tom threw his head back; closed his eyes and let out a long sight of relief. He stood still like that for a couple of minutes. The room seemed so quiet now. No more screams, no more moans. Just the silence. A deafening silence. One that threatened to render him completely insane. He could feel the emotions rising up in his lower stomach and he refused to let them go any further. He refused to feel anything other than anger or hate. And since he found himself incapable of felling either, he resulted to simply feeling nothing... absolutely nothing at all. He kept telling himself:

"_Remember why you're here. Remember what you did this for."_

Tom's P.O.V.

"_That's right. I came here to get my life back... and that's exactly what I intend to do. Why should I even care about this boy? He wanted this. He deserved it. It was his choice. I have no reason to feel guilty." _

That's what I tried telling myself but deep down I knew. I knew what I did was horrible. But I could not face it. I simply wasn't courageous enough for that. I was a coward and I knew it but even that, I could not confront. I'd rather just ignore this life in front of me. This life that I had ruined... like so many others before. As I looked at the blood stained sheets, I could only think of one thing: "_so this is what I was after_". This is what I was looking for all this time. All of this for that. I looked at the other body lying in the room. Little Ginny Weasly: she and I are in the exact same state of living right now. Well, safe for the consciousness which she won't regain until I lift the spell I put on her. But I can't do that until I truly get my life back. She's still my safety card.

But right now, it's like we're both knocking on Death's door right, yet neither of us is trying to pass through that door. Every breath we take is an affront to nature. It is a strange thing to exist like this. Even though I can interact with my surrounding, I know I am not alive. Not really. Not yet, anyway. It feels as though, instead of living, I am simply just surviving. That's it, surviving: like I have this feeling inside of me telling me I'm going to die any minute, yet I know that as long as the magic runs its course, I will not.

That's how I know for sure that the simple fact of me just... being there, right here and now is cheating Death. It's laughing in its face. I have to admit the thought is actually quite appealing to me. I have always been terrified of death. I don't know why, but the prospect of dying has always been the most horrifying one for me. Then again... that's just another lie... obliviously I know why! Because what I am truly scared of is weakness... and to me there is nothing more weak then mortality. The weak die. The great ones live forever... at least that's always how I saw it. And I wanted to be one of the great... and I was... was? No. Nonsense! I am! I am Lord Voldemort! The most feared sorcerer in the whole wizarding world. There has never been anyone greater before me and there never shall be! Look at yourself! Almost weeping over this little insignificant boy who dared to challenge you... pathetic! Get a hold of yourself! You wanted this and now you have it so... just grab it. Grab it, damn it!

Third-Person Narrator 

Tom made a quick gesture and Harry's wand appeared in his hand. He then pointed it toward the blood-stained sheets. The end of the stick glowed intensely and a vial appeared out of thin air, draining all of the spilled red fluid within it. The young man then angrily grabbed the floating vial in his right hand, shoved it in his pocket and stormed out of the room. He entered the bathroom and closed the door shut behind him. He then sat on the floor and made a little black cauldron appear, along with a big magic volume and many jars containing various ingredients. One _aguamenti _later, the cauldron was full of water. Tom then began the ritual for real.

With his free hand he magically heated up the water until it began boiling up and with the wand he made all the different products he had conjured rise up in the air and fall into the cauldron; making the substance in it go from bleak green to deep red to plenty of other shades. And once all of these elements were added to the mixture and carefully brewed by Tom's expert wandless magic, he opened the spell book and began chanting. As the Latin words were uttered, the room was quickly filled by darkness. The potion started swirling around within the metal pot and as Tom red the scriptures, he spoke in a strong and commending voice:

"From memory to body, from limbo to life, from shadows to clarity: let the stolen purity give back life to the one who took it! Let the innocent blood run through thy vein and bring the flesh back to its original state!"

The potion changed to a violet hue and a huge gust of wind entered the room. The wind came from the cauldron itself and blew in all direction. The ground started shaking and Tom knew it was time to add the final ingredient and speak the last words of the ritual. He took the vial containing Harry's blood out of his pocket and shook it firmly before letting it flow into the brew. As soon as the fluid touched the substance within the pot it began to emit an intense red light. Tom looked profoundly into the light; he let the vial disappear along with the wand, extended both of his arms on each sides of his body and spoke vehemently.

"Let the blood of thine victim... be the key... to the resurrection... of his master!"

Both of Tom's palms then came crashing with one another against the ray of light; which made it transform into a deep golden fog. Tom let his arms fall on each of sides; he then took a moment to gather his thoughts and strengths and inhaled all of the smoke, allowing it to feel his entire being. He prepared himself... for he knew what was to come... the pain!

"AHAH!"

His entire body felt like it was on fire. Every inch of his insides felt as though it was receiving the most powerful electric discharges. He fell on his back on the cold floor and started convulsing violently because of the huge and rapid waves of pain running throughout is body. Each passing minute only made the suffering grow deeper and it felt like an eternity. The torture was excruciatingly slowly changing his carcass into an actual body. He felt like he was drowning, yet his entrails felt like they were melting at the same time. Tom could sense thousands upon thousands of tinny needle pricking deeply into the flesh of his back. He had never stopped shouting since it had begun to burn from within and he kept trying to but... no more sounds were coming out of his mouth. He saw himself shaking in all direction but he simply could not control it. His entire self was no longer under his own command: it was at the complete mercy of the powerful magicks at work.

Tom hated not being in control, especially of his own body but right now, his mind was far too concerned about the pain to care the least about his control issues or his inferiority complex. The young man had felt the pain go from the tip of his toes to the top of his chest in a matter of seconds. Now, it was his throat that began hurting. He sensed it breaking as though he was being strangled by a giant. However, just when he tried reaching for his neck, his arms began feeling like they were sliced open and stampeded by and angry mob. Then it was the turn of his head, which he sensed being squeezed by a metal compressor, while at the same time, feeling as though sharp little drills were slowly being screwed into his cranium. It felt like dying. Suddenly his sight went black. That was it. He physically could not take it anymore: his brain had given out. Everything was shot down.

When he came to, Tom had no idea how much time had gone by. Looking outside he saw the sun rising. It was morning now. He estimated it had probably been over four hours, since it was still the middle of the night when they had first arrived in the hotel room. All the suffering he had had to endure was now completely gone. Yet, it was so fresh in his mind that it was a bit hard to get up on his feet: Tom didn't believe he would ever manage to forget what he had gone through then. Looking at himself in the mirror he couldn't see any bruises or sign of injuries of any sort. He had to come to the conclusion that all he had felt... was indeed just in his head. But it felt so real... Tom just couldn't understand how he was even able to stand up right now: in his mind, he thought he was supposed to be totally mangled, bloody and wounded... but nothing. However, even with the pain gone he still felt... weird somehow. He felt... of course! He felt alive!

He approached the mirror with a great mix of excitement and apprehension. He examined his face carefully; flawless pale skin, magnificent black hair, deathly dark eyes; nothing different. He took a step back. He had nothing but his trousers on, so he took a good look at his bust. His abdominal muscles were still just as deliciously defined without exaggerations as before. His chest was still hairless, his pectoral well cut and his nipple pink and juicy-looking: business as usual. His shoulders were also the same: large and sculpted. Then a thought crossed his mind and he knew he had to make sure... even if he probably had nothing to worry about. So, he undid his trousers and got out of them, throwing them somewhere on the floor. He pushed his underwear down just enough so that he could check his penis: same size, same shape and same gorgeousness: perfect. He then turned around to examine his tush: a million dollar derriere; a nicely plump, round, pale and slightly pink ass anyone would easily be jealous off. Tom smile wickedly; more than satisfied with what he saw in the reflection. He gave one of his buns a little slap then putted his briefs back up. He was beginning to wonder if the spell had actually worked. Then he felt it...

... His heart. His heart had started pumping again and his blood had begun to move within his vein, just like it did once before. When he was still just a memory, the body was the same but it was... like frozen. Unable to work by itself like one's body normally does. It was the magic that kept him alive and though, all the right pieces were there before, they did not work... until now. Before he kept breathing as a habit but now, he was actually feeling the need to breathe again. And god! It felt so dam good! It felt like there was nothing he couldn't achieve anymore. He was alive again and he felt more happiness in that one instant of realization then he had ever had in his life. Even though, one could argue that this guy had actually never truly known happiness before that moment, to begin with.

Then Tom saw something that had escaped his notice earlier... a very thin, very little scar on the side of his cheek. Tom quickly remembered how it got there: Harry. Looking at it closely, the young man realized how insignificantly small it was. It had already begun healing and it would most likely be gone completely in a matter of days, without even leaving a single trace. He could not believe he had lost his temper for such a tiny scratch. But he remembered that it was not the cut in itself that had infuriated him: it was the sight of his own blood. He remembered thinking:

"My blood has not even yet begun to move through my inert body and you already wish to take it away from me... who's the thief now!"

Before the ritual, just like the rest of his body it was like his blood was suspended in time. The magic took care of keeping Tom conscious and "alive", if you can really call "that" being alive. However, if any fluids were forced into the outside world, they would lose the body's magical protection and would start to move again like they usually would. For instance, Tom's magic was able to make him hard and make him cum. Yet, until the very end when he ejaculated, the sperm cells inside of his testicles were completely immobile, just like every other cell past his skin. It was the magic who forcefully had to make the sperm go through each little part of the process of creating the actual semen.

It was also that mystical force who released the semen into Harry's ass. Once it was out, it was like it came back to life in a way. The same phenomenon also explains why the Slytherin was actually able to bleed. When Harry slice open a bit of Tom's skin with his nail, he unwittingly freed some the older guy's static blood from the flesh barrier. The second that those blood cells made contact with the outside, they were automatically released from the magic that bounded them to stay in place. And so, the blood ran down Tom's cheek as it normally would have.

But why use magic to basically freeze one's inside in the first place? Tom looked at the finger with which he wiped away that blood: there was no trace of dry blood on it... there was no trace of any blood at all. And he knew that soon, the cum left his Harry's asshole would disappear as well. That was the deal, Tom remembered. The spell he originally used in order to cease only being a memory allowed him to recreate his former body into the physical world. However, he had to constantly use his powers to keep that body unchanged until he had stolen the life of another to claim it for his own. It was so that the shell would stay the same and be ready to receive a life of its own. The only other option being the blood-of-a-virgin-alternative which, ironically Tom never though he would end up using.

Keeping the body as unmoving as possible was required because any cell that went astray from the magic protection left Tom with a decision to make. First, he could take that part of him and put it back where it belonged; changing it back into its original state first, obliviously. Unfortunately, that took even more magical energy then Tom already had to spend just to keep the whole dam thing from vanishing into thin air, in a matter of seconds. The other option was to let that part be and watch it disappear all together... and therefore, become nothing more than... a memory: literally. Fortunately for Tom, the only parts of him he lost were a bit of his saliva, blood and semen, which all replaced themselves by nature.

Still, Tom remembered how back then he always had to be as still as he could be. Any kind of efforts demanded more magic from him. Every time he did something with his body, he had to magically will it into happening: any type of movement at all. Walking, talking, masturbating licking and sucking at an underage boy's nipple or even just writing your name in fiery letters in the air to reveal your secret identity to your number one enemy: all those things normal people do without thinking and take for granted, he had to do them using every bit of magic he had. He had to use magic constantly: doing anything at all, even just existing demanded it.

That was the reason why he just stood there, back in the chamber of secrets while the Basilisk chased after Harry instead of going after the boy himself. That why he didn't try to kill Fawkes, why he didn't use his magic to infuse the Basilisk with more power, why he didn't use the killing curse on Potter when things got out of hands; because he couldn't. Any great magical or physical effort would have made him even weaker. That is also why he was force to bargain with Potter an offer him the deal in the first place: he was not strong enough to both keep himself from disappearing back into nothingness and fight off his enemy. That is also why getting a real life back was so god dam important to him. He wanted to feel for real again, wanted to able to enjoy himself and move freely into the world once more, without having to think about it every single time.

Thankfully for him, strong emotions like profound desire, intense rage or even just plain murder envy actually unleashed and amplified his magical powers. Therefore, it had actually been a lot easier physically for him to torture and rape Harry than it had been to do anything while they were back at the chamber of secrets. Indeed, when in exaltation of pleasure or hatred, Tom's magic became so powerful that Tom almost lost all feelings of constraint towards movement. In those states of mind, any action felt so easy and natural that Tom nearly forgot his condition and allowed himself to just feel again; without worries, without any kind of thoughts at all even. In those moments, he practically felt alive... but nothing was comparable to "this" feeling: knowing inside and out, wholeheartedly that you are indeed alive. It was just mind-blowing.

And it was also the feeling of knowing that because of that, everything truly his possible... because life means that no matter what... you are still standing... you are still there... it's hope. And for a young man who had had so little of that in his life, that feeling was even more special. He had been given a second chance at life. Something most people who deserve it where denied... and Tom had every intention of making this one count for real. He had never felt like this before. He had never felt this inspired and rejuvenated and most of all... hopeful... ever... not once in his life. He actually felt like a different person somehow... in a good way... because he had been given that second chance, although he was the first to admit that nothing he had done could ever have made him deserve it... on the very contrary...

But now everything was different. Now, he knew exactly what he had to do...

**Sorry if this chapter is a little shorter than the ones before but I actually decided to split it into two parts. I really wanted to set the mood for the next one which will involve the actual aftermath of the rape. I really wanted to take the time to show Tom's transformation, not only on a physical level, but also on mental one as well. I really wanted to show him going from total darkness and into the light... the light of life.**

**In all honesty, this chapter is really special and really dear to my heart because I think it conveys well my utmost reverence for life. **

**I have recently experience a great deal of conflicted emotions due to the lost of one of my friend. After two years of fighting cancer, she died in her sleep at the age of 18, two weeks ago. Part of me felt destroyed, another part was so furious because it just seemed so unfair... yet another part told me that she didn't suffer anymore and that she is in a better place. But I think what really got me through the pain was the incredible lesson of humility I got from her, from her courage and her desire to live even as her body was giving up. She lived to the very end and she enjoyed her life to the last second. Though she felt a pain I could not begin to imagine, she kept fighting because she wanted to live and she kept smiling no matter what. **

**She always smiled because she knew how precious life is. And it's so precious because it's so fragile. When I was younger I got bullied a lot because I was gay and I often thought of suicide and it's only now that I truly realize how utterly selfish and stupid I was for even considering it. My friend had to battle this insidious and invisible enemy every single day and she didn't give up. No matter what, you can never give up. You must always remember to celebrate your life and never take it for granted.**

**Thank you all again for reading, please don't forget to review and most of all... never forget that life truly is a celebration. **

**P.S.:**

**- PreciousRaymond asked: Will Harry be going back to Hogwarts after all this or will Tom be keeping him?**

**- My answer: Chapter 6 (not the next one, but the one after) will answer your question, until then... keep reading!**

**- Itachisgurl93 volunteered to be my beta.**

**- My answer: I gladly accept. Please, PM me to tell me how exactly you want to proceed.**

**BTW: I will ALWAYS end my chapters with cliffhangers... because... it's fun!  
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	5. Chapter 5 Part 1

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Remember people: REVIEW EACH CHAPTER! EACH review is a reminder for me to bring the next chapter on time! This is a message to EVERYONE who enjoys this fic. Please, this is REALLY the best way to show me your support.**

**Chapter 5 (Part 1): It hurts... (Part 2)**

But now everything was different. Now, he knew exactly what he had to do...

... Or did he? Tom looked at his face once again in the mirror. He nodded and said to himself:

"_You can do this. You're ready."_

Tom's P.O.V.

I keep telling myself that and yet I'm not even sure if it's really the truth... Urgh, what the hell is wrong with me? Not too long ago I wanted to destroy that boy and now... I want to make things... better I guess? Merlin's beard, I don't even know just what it is I want! I'm not even sure what I can do or if it'll even make a bloody difference... but I know that... I want to make things right... somehow. Damn it! What am I saying again! Not only does that make no sense at all, but how would I even begin to do something like that? How can one fix a situation so freaking fucked in any way you look at it?

Then I look at myself again and I see that scar and I know... I just know that... really, the only thing I know for sure is that I need to do something about this whole mess which I'm solely responsible for. What I did was so wrong on so many levels: all the levels to be exact. I... raped that boy... I took a part of his soul... I destroyed a part of his life... one that he will never get back... unlike me... and that is not right. How could I have done that? After all, I know what it feels like. I can't even believe I was strong to rebuke those awful memories of... that night. Thank heavens I have or else... I would have never been able to go through with the ritual.

Then again, that's not the only reason I was able to do this... horrible act. I was able to do it to the boy because... because I did not regard him as my equal, back then. Back then, in that moment when I did it... I refused to see him as anything more than something beneath me. That's how I was able to it... that's how they were able to do it. That night, all those years ago, I can still remember so clearly how they... how they looked at me as though I was an inferior life-form. That's how they were able to do what they did to me and feel no remorse whatsoever. That's how they were able to just walk out after it all... just like I did.

Still, I have experienced this pain myself... they did this very same violence to me... and yet... it's like I couldn't stop from doing it to someone else. Why is it always the same pattern with me? Why do I always hurt people like people have hurt me? That' not okay. If anything, getting my life back allowed me to see that and I am grateful for that... I am grateful to him. How is it even possible that I feel like this towards him? Huh? What am I saying? I think the right question here is rather: How could I possibly feel otherwise?

I am joyous beyond anything I could have ever conceived, right now. No scheming to destroy anybody, no degrading of any muggle as ever made me felt this happy. It's exhilarating. And I want to stay this happy and... dare I say it... hopeful. And I can't do that if I know that the person responsible for that happiness is so... utterly destroyed. That's why I am so determined to find a way to fix it. And I will. I am Lord Voldemort after all. If someone can find a solution, it's me. I will make things better for him if it's the last thing I do. I have to... and not only because of what I did... but also for what he went through... just like I did.

I mean, as if the fact that I violated him wasn't bad enough I had to see those... visions of him... of them. Just the thought of those muggles sickens me. Not that muggles in general don't usually sicken me but... those three... they make me want to actually puke. Man! Those visions... or whatever they were... they had such a huge impact on me. One so big in fact, that at first I even refused to face it at all so... I did what do best: I closed my eyes and pretend I didn't see anything. Because admitting I saw something would have forced me to actually deal with it. And let's face it; running away from my feelings instead of challenging them has always been the only option for me. Because it's the easy way out. The way of the cowards.

But those visions were... not only so powerful that my entire being, even in the state of mind I was in at the time, had felt an immense blasting shock when I first received them. They were also so disturbing and heart-wrenching, that they had made me loose all of my rage and horrible desires in a matter of second. And trust me. That never, ever happens. Ever. When I'm in this type of all-out psychopathic state of mind... nothing, and I mean nothing... can ever make me stop... until my enemy is laying still... face down on the floor. I wonder how then... I was able to just walk calmly away from him and go perform the ritual... like nothing had happen, like I was not disturbed in the least.

Simple answer really... I refused, once again. I refused to believe what was obliviously the truth. I knew if I stopped to think about them, these visions would stop me from achieving my goal. And no matter how much I know and knew back then, how selfish and heartless that goal was... I just convinced myself that it was right because... after all, that is just what I am: a selfish, heartless and evil son of bitch.

A literal bitch... wait... why am I thinking about... her, right now? It's so stupid and irrelevant... like she is... like she always was. I will not let her get into my mind, especially at a time like this. I do not want to think about her. She is not worth the time I am loosing right now... because of her! Damn it! Why does she always have to ruin every single one of my thought process. Just stop it. Stop thinking about her and she'll go away... there you see? She's gone... for good.

So, anyway yeah... I just did as usual... I denied everything that could have contradicted my plans. I remember even imagining that Potter himself had implanted those visions in my mind to trick me into stopping and showing him pity and mercy... how stupid am I? That makes absolutely no senses at all. First of all, Potter is not nearly that smart and or powerful. Second, even if he had been, in the state of mind and body he was at the time, there is rationally, little to no chance at all that he could have been able to concentrate well enough to produce such realistic visions.

Third of all, even if Harry had indeed been the one who sent them, it is still absolutely irrelevant. Why? Because, even if I can't yet explain how I got those visions in the first place, I know that they are real. I just know it. Nothing, no magic in the world could create such flawless fake visions to perturb someone's mind. I should know. I am both an expert legiliment and occlument. I think I know a little something or two about creating visions inside people's head. I can differentiate the real from the illusions. Unlike most people, I know I can truly pride myself as being someone who can tell the difference between dreams and reality. What I saw was real. Real and horrible.

Seeing it made me sympathize with the boy like I never thought I possibly ever could. For the love of Merlin, those people brutalised him, degraded him and treated him like a blasted slave. They would have him do all the shores while they sat on their either huge or bony behinds. They made him feel like he was a freak and a mistake... and I know what that feels like. Still, the worst part was that, not only were those bastards completely okay with what they did, but they also had the nerve to act as though the boy should have been grateful that they even took him in to begin with. What rubbish! Potter would have been better off in an orphanage and that's coming from me! Even if Potter and I haven't suffered the exact same kind of abuse from muggles... the pain is the very same.

And thinking about it... only makes me realize how Potter and I are... the same. We are both beautiful young men with dark hair, flawless pale skin, killer bodies and a nice ass. Nobody really understands us. We both feel alone because of it. We are both great wizards and great thinker although I exceed him in both domains. I guess he makes up for that with is talent on a broomstick and sports in general, which both had never been strong points for me. We are both parselmouth, although I never really understood how it was possible that he was one too but, we both share a love and connection to snakes, I can tell.

We are both half-bloods coming from great Pure Blood families. We've both had disgraceful mothers. Both of us had our parents taken away from us when we were just infants. We went to the same struggles and the same despicable treatment from our adoptive families... and that's really where our path separates: he chose to forgive muggles and even became friends with them. He got past their wicked nature, while I chose to see them all for exactly what they all are... and treat them accordingly. Regardless, coming back to the point of interest: the visions themselves.

Even if Potter is indeed the one who sent them to me, he did it unwittingly. Plus, whatever unconscious feelings might have drove his magic to do it (if there were any at all to begin with, of course) were not only out of his control but totally justified too, as far as I'm concern. I know now that I can't blame the boy for any of the things he did or said to me tonight. One, because those visions showed me just how right he was to tell me I have ruined his life. Two, because under the circumstances he was in, the boy could not be hold responsible for his actions or words. Three, because he is still just an innocent child... or at least... he used to be... before I...

There they are again... those awful feelings... No! I just had an epiphany! I am not going to collapse again now. On the contrary! I am going to go make things right... and right now is the perfect moment! Come on. You can do this! ... But as I approach the door with a steady walk... uncertainty creeps over me and I found myself simply incapable of moving forward. I'm just stuck there like an idiot and can't seem to get my hand to even just grab that bloody doorknob. I'm so freaking scared and I don't even know why. I don't know what I'm supposed to do right now... were to I even begin? ... An apology? Yeah, because that worked so well last time I tried... Still, it remains the most logical choice... And I do feel sorry... so I guess that's what I'm going to do, even though I just know it's going to take much more than that... Man! Is doing the right thing always this hard?

I keep telling myself to just apologies until I finally get the guts to open the door... That's it, I'm doing it!

Third Person Narrator 

However, when Tom walked out that door the sound he heard completely got him out of his thoughts. At first, he wasn't sure what that noise was but as he turned to look at the bed, the scene he was confronted with cleared any doubts out of mind: ... Harry... on the bed, sitting in foetal position... the blanket covering his private parts: he was crying. And in that moment... Tom really did know he had heart... for he had just felt it breaking. The young man approached the younger one slowly and silently. He spoke in a careful and calm voice full concern:

"P... Potter? Are you... ok... okay?"

Getting no answer, Tom delicately extended his hand to gently touch the boy's arm... but the second Harry felt the presence, he let out a loud cry of surprise and violently jumped away in fear. He looked at the older boy with water-filled eyes which reflected an intense mix of shock and terror. The little boy's voice was shaking.

"Don't hurt me... please!"

Tom was completely distraught by what he saw. Harry had never looked so vulnerable and broken. Despair was written all over his face and for once the Slytherin didn't enjoy it. He looked at the little twelve year old body and saw all the marks and bruise he had left on it. He felt so shameful, so horrible about himself in that moment. How could he have done such things to such an innocent body... he felt like he truly was a monster, like Potter was right about him, after all.

"Potter... I just wanted to..."

"Please don't do this... don't do it again! Not again!"

Tom quickly understood what the boy was talking about.

"Potter, I swear I..."

"Please! Don't do it again! ... It hurts... it hurts so... so much..."

Harry began sobbing again and returned in his earlier position; his thighs against his chest, his head on his knees and his arms around him. Tom was totally distressed and overwhelmed as he began to rapidly understand the full scale of what he had done to this poor boy. He tried reaching for him with his hand again but the second Harry saw it coming near him, he closed his eyes, turned his head to the side and his whole body stiffened. Realizing the little boy had though he was going to hit him, Tom quickly pulled his hand away from him.

He could not believe the boy had actually thought that the hand he had extended so gently was meant to hurt him... yet... Tom knew he couldn't blame the little guy for that. Potter had every right to be scared of him... he really was just every bit as horrible and monstrous as the boy had accused. Still... this is not what he had wanted... seeing Harry so defeated and ruined didn't bring him any kind of pleasure or satisfaction at all. In fact, nothing had ever made him feel so sick and disgusted in his life. He actually wanted to just hit himself right now for putting the little guy in such a miserable state.

In this instant, Tom just wanted to heal and comfort him. He did not want to see Harry crying anymore. That is all he knew for sure, in that moment. He wanted the boy to stop being so sad and overthrown. Though unwillingly, Harry had given him life and it had made Tom so blissful. He wanted to return the favour now. He wanted to make the boy happy in turn. Not only to thank him but because it felt right. Potter deserved to be happy. They both deserved to be happy after all they had suffered. So, Tom did the only thing that seemed appropriate in order to accomplish his wish. He approached his hand from the boy one last time... but this time... he grabbed him in his arms and held on tight to him.

Harry was so shocked that he became totally speechless. He just stood there bewildered; eyes wide open, stiff as a broom and not a word came out of his mouth as his enemy hugged him with strength yet tenderness. Tom carefully upped on the bed while keeping his hold of Harry. It felt good to have him in his arms. He felt like he could protect him from anything and he liked that feeling. He didn't care why at the moment, he just did. Tom then felt so many painful emotions that were threatening to get the better of him... and for the first in his life... he actually let them. He was done trying to rationalize or figure things out. Right now, he just wanted to feel and act upon his feelings. He wanted to accept them and as he sensed the tears forming in his eyes, for once he was ready to let them go. He was ready to release all of that pain, all the sadness and all the guilt. His legendary composure be damned!

"I'm sorry... Potter... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm so... so sorry!"

Harry was more in shock than ever before. He had a hard time believing such words were coming out of his nemesis' mouth of course, but what was really mind blowing to him was that he actually believed them. But he did. He had heard without a doubt, the sincerity in those words.

"Please... you have to believe me... I'm so sorry... please... Harry"

Harry's eyes widened again... it was the first time Tom had called him by his name. He didn't know why... but he liked it... his name somehow felt good coming from the older boy's lips. The way he had said it just... kind of... sounded so full of... care and ... something else the boy wasn't quite sure of. But, it made no sense to him. How could Tom have gone from so nasty and cruel to this? This none-faked sweetness and genuine gentleness was so real and the little guy just didn't understand where it all came from. Then, as Harry began to get lost in his thoughts he was stricken...

... Stricken by a huge flash of white light... then he saw it: Tom's past. He watched a younger version of him... about his age actually... in an orphanage. In the first vision, Harry saw little Tom being pushed around by four upper classmates when he had refused to apologize for accidentally bumping into one of them. Then, there were the beatings: the boy received them daily. However, Harry saw that Tom had quickly learn to land on his feet and throw a good punch or two back when the situation needed it, even if he was so young. It was quite impressive to see him go actually, such courage for such a young age.

Still, the fights were never easy and Tom was always outnumbered. And yet what was the most heart-breaking to watch in these scenes where not the physical abuse the boy received: it was the constant back talking in the hallways, the name calling, the rumours, the laughs behind his back... Merlin, Harry could not only see all those other orphans torturing little Tom, he could actually feel the boy's pain and his repressed tears. Harry was so surprised. He had never though anything would ever make him sympathize with his nemesis. However, what he saw didn't only make him empathize with Tom; it also made him admire the Slytherin's toughness and nerve.

Then, Harry was confronted with the most horrifying scene he had ever saw. It was in the dead of night; the rain was pouring outside and thunder was clapping. Tom was laying in his bed asleep in a room full of other sleeping children of the same age in their own bed. Suddenly, the door crept open and four older boys silently came in. They were other orphans of about fifteen and Harry recognized them as being the same ones who he had witnessed pushing Tom around in the first vision. They were all tall, dark and lean. They were all handsome. They were all looking incredibly cruel. And they were.

Harry watched the four of them approach Tom's bed silently. One of them, their leader judging by the looks of thing, the very same one that Tom had bumped into, took out a knife from his back pocket...

**ATTENTION - EVERY READER - BIG ANNOUNCEMENT - WARNING FOR NEXT CHAPTER**

**1) First, sorry for taking so long to update but this chapter took a much different direction than what I originally planned and it got... CRAZY long. In fact, I had to split this chapter into two parts because of the ridiculous length it took. Also I was a little slow down in my writing because my friends and I celebrated my birthday this week. As a matter of fact, we went to see Deathly Hallows: Part 2 for the occasion. So, ironically it's Harry Potter who kept me from Harry Potter, lol! But it's great because basically you get two chapters for the price of one!**

**2) Warning: next chapter contains a rape scene. It was already in my head when I thought of this chapter but at first, I thought I would pass over it very quickly without much detail... but of course I ended writing like 7000 words just for that one scene. So again... don't be surprise and don't say I didn't warn you.**

**3) I'm going to slowly begin (I am a lazy person, I admit it: guilty!) updating the chapters which were corrected by the amazingly awesome itachisgurl93 (thank you so much again btw!). Chapters 1 and 2 have been corrected and Chapter 3 and 4 have been sent and received.**

**4) MOST IMPORTANTLY: I was recently informed by an anonymous reviewer that my fic is apparently in violation with the TOS of . As I've come to understand, it is because the story is apparently too explicit, even for the M rating. I have always though putting the right warnings (which I did in the summary and before every chapter) was sufficient but apparently not. To be honest, I have read much more edgy stuff of this site than my fic and I have myself written more sexually-explicit stories in the past. However, I am beginning to fear that it is only a matter of time before someone reports my story because of the explicitness of its content. However, before I do anything, I want you guys' opinions. You: all my readers. Everyone who enjoys this fic one way or another, I need your input on this.**

**I love this story. I want to keep writing this story. Believe it or not but I actually put a lot of time, efforts and energy into this fic. I acknowledge that my story is definitely not a masterpiece. It is very much flawed, I recognize this. I am not a professional writer. However, I would like to say that even if to some of you my writing seems at best mediocre, for me it is quite an achievement that I am very proud of. Most importantly, I want you guys to keep reading it and enjoy it.**

**So, what do you think I should do: just ignore the warning (which was NOT a threat btw), take out the explicit stuff, re-write the story to make it less explicit, move my fic to or some other Harry Potter fanfiction site or... what?**

**I REALLY need everyone who reads, enjoys and wants to see more of this fic to give me some feedback on this issue. I need your thoughts guys, please. I will keep working on this fic because, like I said, I love this story but please... I am asking for your help here! Thank you all in advance!**

**On I make my mind up about this problem; I will let you all know so that if anything was to happen, you will all be informed of my plans for the future.**


	6. Chapter 5 Part 2

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Remember people: REVIEW EACH CHAPTER! EACH review is a reminder for me to bring the next chapter on time! This is a message to EVERYONE who enjoys this fic. Please, this is REALLY the best way to show me your support.**

**Warning: Heavy slash, hard lemon AND RAPE scene (yeah another) in this chapter. **

**Chapter 5 (Part 2): Remember that! **

Harry watched the four of them approach Tom's bed silently. One of them, their leader judging by the looks of thing, the very same one that Tom had bumped into, took out a knife from his back pocket...

_Flashback_

The knife-holder: a long-straight-haired sexy guy shook Tom's shoulder in order to wake him up. The second the boy came to, he tried shouting but his mouth was quickly covered by a muscled hand and the rest of his body was kept down by the three other guys. He began struggling but was quickly frozen solid by the sight of a blade in front of his face. The group's leader spoke:

"That's right, you better stop quivering like a freaking pig or I'll bleed you like one."

The guy's voice was controlled yet menacing. Tom was frighten but refused to show it. The older guy looked at his accomplices and made a quick headshake towards the door. They nodded and brought the little orphan out of his bed. As they were taking him outside the room, the small boy looked around for help. He sighted in relief when he spotted a boy who had woken up. He recognized him: Dennis Bishop. However, though Dennis could easily see plead in his eyes, he just stood there in shock and fear and did nothing. Tom even saw him lie down; turning his back to him and go back to sleep as though he hadn't seen anything.

The older boys opened the door silently and looked around for any sign of an adult. When they were sure the coast was clear, they rapidly walked the hallway and went to hide in the janitor's closet, along with their little prey. They closed and looked the door behind them, using the set of key they had stolen earlier. The closet was rather big with many tools hanging on the walls and only a table in a corner, given them a lot of free space. The older orphans threw Tom on the ground and the boy landed on all fours. He turned around angrily and asked:

"What do you want? !"

The answer was quick and direct: the leader punched him in the face. It took Tom everything he had not to cry in that moment. The older boy then took him up by grabbing the collar of his pyjama and brought the knife right to the kid's lips.

"You shut the fuck up! If you speak one more time without being asked first, I'll just have to start cutting that pretty little face of yours... You know... you're lucky it looks so damn fine or else I would have really punched you hard. Don't worry; the one I gave you will barely leave a mark."

One of the guys behind him, a teen with a buzz cut laughed and replied:

"You bet your fucking ass he's lucky, Ted... shoots, if he wasn't so freaking gorgeous in the first place, you would have just stabbed him and be done with it."

Tom looked at the leader horrified. Ted just smiled wickedly. That guy was cold, calculating but violent.

"... That's kind of truth actually, Seth."

Seth laughed again: a laughter that betrayed his stupidity. He was nothing but a tool for Ted. They all were. Ted saw at the terror in Tom's eyes and chuckled before letting go of him. The boy fell to the ground again.

"To answer your question, kid... let's just say that we four are getting the hell out of this place and we'll never come back... but... since you were the first person who thought he was though enough to stand up to us... we decided you deserved a goodbye gift... a little something to remember us by."

Another laugh was heard, this time coming from a very tall short-haired guy who was seemingly as dumb as the rest of them. Yet, his voice had an edge of cockiness and cruelty to it that was uncommonly noticeable. He approached Tom as he spoke.

"Huh! Little? Speak for yourself Ted! As for me... my something is rather big..."

He took one last step forward towards the boy and took his wrist in his grip, putting Tom's hand over his erected groin.

"See... a pretty big something right?"

The little boy jerked his hand away quickly and backed up against the wall in horror. The last guy spoke; he had long messy dark curls falling against each side of his head. He also had a million dollar psycho-killer-ish smile. He wore a baseball cap backwards. He was hot like the others but creepy, also like the others. He was a weird and freaky one who was very much into a whole bunch of nasty stuff. His voice was an uncanny mix of sweet honey and evil sadism.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a feisty one... my favourites... what do you say, Bill?"

"Fuck Darren, all I got to say is can we fucking do it already! ? My dick is starting to hurt."

Ted smirked then nodded.

"Alright, hold him tight, guys. Bill, since you're already so hard, you get first turn."

"Fuck yeah! Thanks Ted."

Darren and Seth grabbed Tom and kept him from moving by holding him on each side of his body. Ted went behind him and held the knife to his neck.

"If you don't fucking stay still and keep quiet, I will cut your throat... that's a fucking promise."

The little boy kept both his body and his mouth still as he was brought to his knees; his face in front of Bill's crotch. The giant looked at him and smiled.

"Now, you're going to unzip my fly with your mouth."

Tom was grossed out but the blade against his throat was more urging than anything else at the moment. He complied. He took the fly between his teeth and brought it down. Bill looked satisfied and took his pants down.

"That's a good boy... know fucking smell my groin."

The little orphan looked confused but before he could even figure out what he meant, the tall guy took his face and buried it in his crotch.

"Come on you little fucker... inhale my fucking balls... um... that's right, take in that strong, sweaty and manly smell... huh... bet you fucking like that, don't you?"

He let go of Tom's head, leaving the boy gasping for air. Bill let down his briefs, revealing a nice, long and fat, hard cock. He presented it to the boy's face.

"Star licking it."

Tom looked hesitant but Ted held the tip of the blade strongly against the boy's skin and told him:

"Do it!"

The small boy started giving quick licks with the tip of his tongue to the head of the tall guy's dick. It was the first time Tom tasted precum. It tasted salty. Bill got angry.

"It's not a freaking ice-cream cone: fucking lick it for real already!"

Tom looked up and saw the teen's murdering gaze. He nodded in fear and started licking from the base of the cock to the helmet. He gave many long licks like that all over the penis and circled the glans with his tongue a couple of times before Bill stopped him.

"Now, suck on it."

Tom looked at the size of the thing in disbelief.

"But it's too big, I can't..."

Bill slapped Tom right across the face.

"You shut up and you do as I say or else..."

Tom held his face and looked back at the teen with fury but he knew resistance was futile here. So, he positioned his face and opened his mouth. It was so hard to even get that thing in there. He succeeded in swallowing the head then took a moment to breathe out of his nose. He felt his head being pushed forward by the giant guy's big hand and each centimetre got more and more painful for his oral orifice. Tom's eyes began to fill themselves up with hot tears until he finally got the whole shaft in his throat. It hurt like hell and breathing through his nose became the only alternative left not to choke.

"That's right... huh... get that big dick in there. Now start sucking and if I feel teeth... you're in for a world of pain, boy."

Tom simply complied, to concern about his own safety to care about his pride anymore. He started moving his little head back and forth; the sound of moans coming from Bill encouraging him to go forward. As he kept on sucking the dick, the two guys that held him of each side of his body, began unzipping their pants and taking their fat meats out. They were already so hard. The two boys then started masturbating; pumping their erections energetically. Tom began stressing out at the sight of those two cocks. Although they were smaller then Bill's, there size was still pretty impressive... especially for a boy like Tom... who had just turned ten.

Bill wrapped his fingers within Tom's hair and gripped his head firmly when he felt his release so close. He was deep-throating the boy so fast that he began losing it, moaning more deeply than ever before. Seconds later, he came violently inside his neck. The boy didn't have any choice but to swallow all of the sperm that came rushing down his throat. The giant made sure to keep Tom's head pressed against his penis; the boy's lips firmly glued to his pubis, until he was absolutely sure he had swallowed his cum to the very last drop. When he let go of him, Tom quickly started gasping heavily for air; a bit of the sticky white stuff running down his chin.

"Did you see that guys? He swallowed all of my jizz... like a good little whore."

The boys laughed then Seth spoke:

"He sure did... I didn't think he was going to but he's turning out to be quite the slut... and now it's my turn. Bill, take my place."

"Have fun, Seth."

The two boys exchanged places and Tom, who was so worn out from his previous fellatio didn't have the time to realize what was going on before his face was, once again shoved right in front of another big dick. He didn't even have time to understand what was happening to him, so of course he didn't even try shutting his mouth. Seth's penis went right past his lips and the now familiar taste of man meat and precum was back on his tongue.

"Oh fuck yeah! Fucking blow me bitch. Show me what that little mouth of yours can do... man, you sure are good at this... huh... beast blow job ever!"

The older boy was so rough that he was literally face-fucking Tom at that point. The boy kept on sucking until Seth stopped him. He got his dick out the boy's little mouth and started flaunting it in his face; literally cock-slapping him on the face.

"Huh, you like that bitch? I know you do... now suck on my nuts... that's right put my ball sack in your mouth and suck on it. Start by licking those balls first."

The knife still on his throat, Tom did as he was told. He lapped like a dog at Seth's hairy balls then opened up his lips and took both of them in his mouth. He started sucking on them slowly; first one at a time then both at the same time. Seth was on the verge of coming when he reinserted his member inside Tom's mouth.

"Ah! I'm gonna cum... you better swallow it all bitch!"

And so Tom did, when he felt the cock throbbing and the hot fluid fill his mouth, he just gulped it all as he was told. Seth pulled out and looked at Darren who had not stopped wanking and was also very close.

"Huh! You better get here fast Darren if you want to shoot your load inside that pretty little mouth."

Darren wasted no time; he got up and brought his penis right in front of Tom's face as Seth took his place to keep the boy still. The older boy took his dick to the orphan's lips and the little one knew what he had to do: he opened up and prepared to receive. Darren made a head sign to his leader and Ted nodded understandingly. He moved the knife from the boy's neck to his back so Darren could take a hold of his throat with one hand while the other dispensed his semen into the boy's oral hole.

"Eat my fucking jizz, slut! That's right; take my seed in your nice little pink mouth and swallow all like a good little cum bucket."

Darren finished jerking off, as long jets of his sperm came pouring down Tom's throat. The little boy swallowed everything. The taste was actually surprisingly good: salty yet sweet. The boy was so confused; though part of him was hurt, part him almost enjoyed it. Tom had always known he liked man and even given the circumstances, with all those nice and big cocks, with all those various smells of manliness… he was almost turned on. Still… he could not fully enjoy it… because those man were not there to make him feel good… there were only there for themselves… they were only there to punish him and satisfy their own needs.

Then came the leader's turn: Darren took his place with the blade while Ted got up with a wicked grin. Bill laughed:

"That's Ted alright… he's already so hard but he hasn't even started jerking off yet."

Ted turn around to look cockily at the giant then at the others who had started laughing as well. He undid his pants but instead of getting a grip of his throbbing erection, he spat in his right hand. He then took that hand and brought it behind his back and down inside his brief to his ass crack. He let his fingers slide in between his firm buns, in order for them to go tickle his asshole. The three other boys laughed again. Seth then said:

"Yep, that is our Ted alright: always more concern about his butthole than his cock!"

The boys laughed even harden that time, while Ted simply scoffed:

"Oh shut up, you three. I just know where the real fun is, that's all."

As he said those words, he took his hand out of his pants. He got in front of the boy and brought his briefs passed his bubble butt. He then shoved his ass in front of Tom's face waiting for the boy to do as he expected. Tom however, just stood there bewildered, not exactly sure what to do. Ted got exasperated.

"Fucking lick it already!"

Tom could not believe what he had just heard. He couldn't lick an arse. It was an arse, after all. It was dirty. There was no way he was going to do it. He tried to speak but he soon felt the familiar feel of a blade against his neck and heard Darren talk to him from behind his back.

"You heard the man, slut! Fucking lick your master's ass. Go on! Lick it!"

Ted rested against the wall, arched his back and spread his legs to allow full entrance to the boy's tongue. Tom hesitated but his face was soon forcefully pushed inside the butt crack by the guy behind him. He tried to keep his lips shut but the older boy pinched his nose until he was force to breathe. Darren said:

"If you value your life… you better start licking."

The teen let go of his nose but kept pushing is face in. Tom was surprise by the scent his nose was met with: instead of the bad stench he was expecting, the smell was musky and rather pleasant. He darted his tongue a bit until he was met with a most delicious taste of sensitive pink-reddish anal skin. Ted's ass was so yummy that Tom quickly lost all control over himself in that moment and began eating the older boy out like he was an all-you-can-eat buffet; using both his tongue and his mouth. Ted was not only surprise at the boy's resilience to eat his buttock but also at the talent he demonstrated in doing so.

"Fuck guys! That boy is rimming me for all he's worth! Huh! He's fucking kissing and sucking at my hole… man, it feels so… fucking… good!"

Ted was moaning and gasping for air as Tom's talented lips kept on working his anus with delight. Darren looked on with a sick and twisted fascination. He had never rimmed or been rimmed like that before and the sight of it made his dick come back to life almost instantly. He spoke in a low and lust-filled voice.

"Damn Ted! That's so gross… and wrong… and kinky… and… so fucking hot! How does it feel, man?"

Ted chuckled between his moans and looked back at the curly-haired boy who looked so intrigued at this display of salad-tossing. The leader took both of his ass cheeks in his hand before spreading those two nice hot bums apart so as to allow better access for Tom. The boy gladly went forward into his exploration.

"What it feels like? Take a while guess, dumbass. Don't I fucking look like I'm enjoying myself here? It feels fucking amazing, that's what it feels! I can feel his little tongue inside my ass now… his fucking massaging my asshole with his mouth… huh! And let me tell you… those lips are fucking talented… Wanna try Darren?"

Darren smiled wickedly.

"You want to know if I want to do something that nasty?"

"Yep, pretty much."

"You bet you fucking sweet, half-eaten arse I do!"

Darren took Tom head out of his leader's behind. Tom looked completely baffled when his face was taken out of that sweet, hot hole. He was still in a daze, not fully aware yet of the reality he was in. Ted traded his place with Darren who quickly undid his pants. However, the boy looked at Tom with a perplex look on his face; like he was mulling over something.

"Wait, I just thought of something… get him on that table."

The three other boys took Tom off his knees and laid him down on the table. Darren looked on at the scene and laughed.

"I'm gonna fucking sit on his face."

As the other boys held Tom down and Ted put the knife under his throat again. Darren got up on the table and turn around so that his backside was facing Tom. His feet were on each side to the boy's body and he took his pants down. Darren squatted until the back of his underwear was merely an inch away from the boy's mouth, putting his hands on the table for better balance. Tom tried to turn his head away but Ted kept him in place. The guy with the long curls flaunted his little tush in the little boy's face. There was a sweat spot on the underwear, right were Darren's butt crack was. The guy underneath him felt repulsed looking at it but unfortunately, the one above him soon put it over his nose.

"That's it! Come on, you little fucker. Take a whiff at my sweaty ass. Hum… I bet you fucking love it… you fucking love sniffing my smelly ass, don't you?"

Fortunately for Tom, although Darren's buttock was indeed sweating, it was not stinky at all. Even if the teen expected his behind to reek, the little boy with a nose up his arse smelled nothing but a manly and delicious scent that turned him right back into a lust-filled zombie. In fact, the second the young man above him moved close enough to his mouth, Tom puckered up and gently kissed the nice, hot and round meat that was offered to him in an underwear package. Darren stared moaning uncontrollably the moment he felt a warm air on his butt. His underwear was so thin that they almost felt like a second skin.

"Oh man! That does feel good… I feel his hot breath on my ass… can you believe that kid is actually kissing my ass? I can't remember the number of time I said that in my life to people… I'd never thought somebody would actually do it… feels so good. That's right little boy… kiss my ass! Keep kissing it. Kiss each of my cheeks with those nice little lips of yours."

Tom executed himself as though he had become a slave to the kinky orders he was given by the boy on top of him. He kissed each of Darren's hot buns; sometimes giving slow wet kisses and other times quick butterfly ones all over the butt-cheek he was working on. He then started kissing in-between the cheeks, right inside the crack. Darren could feel his mouth almost reaching his asshole but he was not ready for that kind of full exposure yet. Besides, he wanted to take his time and enjoy himself. He wanted to feel some hot tongue action now. He wanted to cover his sweaty behind with his captive's saliva, which would easily pass through the fabric of his briefs.

"Now, lick me. Lick my bum like the dog that you are."

And Tom licked away: altering between long laps and rapid strikes with the tip of his tongue. He began as he had done before and started with the ass-cheeks, followed by the center of the buttock, getting as deep as he could. As the boy tongued the crack, Darren sensed shiver running down his spine when he finally felt the hot, wet organ on his anus through his briefs. It felt so amazing that he gasped and moan at the same time, both surprised and euphoric. He was not the only one; the second Tom had almost tasted the older boy's butthole he had become intoxicated. He wanted more and was practically desperate for the real thing.

"Holly motherfucking Christ!"

Ted smirked.

"I presumed he finally managed to find your pucker."

"You didn't tell me that shit felt so goddamn good! Man! I want more."

He turned his head back towards Tom.

"Listen up, you little bitch. Take my underwear off… with your mouth."

Tom was too lost in his desire to resist, even for a second. He quickly got on the job and took the piece of clothing in his teeth and brought them down using his head, revealing one of the hottest asses he would ever look upon. It was big, round, gorgeous and more importantly, all his to eat. Although Darren's ass was a bit hairy, even around his perky little hole, much more so then Ted who was almost hairless, it was still very much attractive.

"Suck on my ass. Start by sucking my butts one at a time, you dirty little freak."

Although those kinds of filthy insults and nasty words would have insulted Tom in normal times, right now he was too concern with his lustful desires. He wanted this… this… gorgeous man sitting on his face, talking dirty to him. He liked everything he saw, inhaled, touch, heard and taste in that particular instant where it was nothing but him and a beautiful manly buttock. Unbeknown to his captors, his little winner had gotten hard the second he had started licking Ted's fancy-looking, puckered hole. He had ejaculated on his own once tonight already and he felt another orgasm coming soon. Tom had always been in advance for his age and so was his body. He had already had his first hard-on a while ago and had already started having wet dreams and masturbating… thinking about… them.

Indeed, although he hated those guys, he had fantasized about their handsome face and muscular bodies more than once. He had always know he preferred man's body so for him to be sexually attracted to those evil-but-hot kind of guy was actually no real surprise for him. He had still been a bit grossed out by their cocks at first of course but that was because he had never jacked off thinking about anything other than their mouth-watering abs. Even if he hated the way they were using him for his body, right now… deep down… Tom felt even because he was doing the exact same thing. And all the dirty talk only turned him on more and increased his pleasure. He was at a complete lost because his body told him to take total advantage of the situation for his own gain, just like they were. However, his pride obliviously told him to keep fighting and not accept their insults and forced sexual practices. Let's just say that part had been shut down a while ago; both by a knife and an erection.

Tom got out of his thoughts and admired the beautiful butts in front of him once more then obeyed gladly to Darren's whishes. He opened his mouth and put his lips on the teen's right cheek. He took a huge piece of it into his mouth and sucked the skin deeply, making Darren cry in pure ecstasy. When he finally let go, there was a huge red spot covered with his saliva across the older boy's butt. Tom repeated the same process with the other cheek.

"Now… suck on my asshole."

Darren's voice was needy and lustful. He was breathing heavily and looking perfectly insane with pleasure. The boy wasted no time and began devouring the meal in front of him, sucking and licking at the boy-hole, savoring Darren's marvelous taste. As a matter of fact, he was so deeply entranced by the teen's tasty bottom that he began lashing, almost violently with his mouth at the flesh he so desired in that moment. Darren gasped when he felt Tom's teeth. Although it still felt rather good, he preferred to take his precaution, especially after seeing to exactly what extend Tom was enjoying hi so-called punishment.

"Okay seriously, this little whore his literally eating me here… not that I mind of course… but I'm starting to get scared he's just going to chew my arse off… ah! Listen well you little fucker… you can bite a little up there but you better make sure that it doesn't hurt… too much."

Then, as though he took that as a challenge, little Tom drew more teeth; nibbling into the anus' sensitive skin then sinking his teeth into Darren's smooth butt, leaving small bite marks all over his behind. Although surprised at first, the older boy quickly realized just how much he liked it. He had been a little afraid at first but easily understood now how much the little boy under him was talented. He had been hard the entire time but had refused to use his hands to jack off because for the very first time in his life, he felt like he didn't need to touch himself to cum and he wanted to experience that so bad.

"Damn you, you're so good! Ho! Do whatever you want I don't fucking care anymore, you're just so fucking awesome at this. Hum, that feels so great, ah! Uh! Uh! Ah! Oh yes! Oh fuck yeah! Bite me in the ass! Eat me! Just fucking eat my naughty ass up boy! Uh, I know you want it! I know you like it! My bunghole taste good, doesn't it? Ha! You're making me so fucking hot and… sweaty and… ah! Yes, right there! Lick my bum-hole… Um! That's right keep doing that with your tongue… keep circling my corn-hole with the tip of your tongue… man you really like that stuff don't you, you little butt-muncher? You're just a pig… you're nothing but a fucking slut… a whore who just loves eating guy's assholes… and you're so fucking good at it too, oh… keep going, don't stop!"

Tom was more than encouraged by those words and he only sought to go deeper into that sweet backside. He began probing the little entrance with his tongue, asking for it to open up and let him in.

"Oh you want to go deeper huh? Anything for that tongue! Let me give you a better access."

Darren spread his ass-cheeks apart with his hands and relaxed his sphincter so as to fully welcome the hungry boy who entered his anus with great haste. Tom was not disappointed and began licking the inside walls of the boy.

"Oh Lord! That's fucking amazing! I want more. Go deeper! Deep inside my ass… oh lick me from inside! Do whatever you have to do to get your tongue even further. I want your whole tongue sliding in and out of my ass! Go on… here… spit in my butthole! That'll make it easier."

Tom did as instructed and spat inside Darren's hairy asshole. A trail off saliva came running down the pink ring of muscle and Tom was able to push his tongue forward more smoothly into the teen's moist circle and finally, truly appreciate his delightful rectum. Tom was probing him so deep with his tongue; he was fucking him with his mouth at that point. Darren could feel his orgasm closer than ever. His cock was throbbing so violently now.

"I can feel him… inside… his tongue… ah! So deep inside my asshole! Oh god! It feels so good! Ah, so close! I can't take it anymore, it's too hot! I'm gonna… I'm gonna… gonna… ARH!"

The second Tom reached that sweet spot inside of him, Darren threw his back and yelled his heart out as he released waves after waves of hot, sticky semen all over the little boy's pyjama. At the same time, Tom came once again inside his briefs, his moans of pleasure covered by Darren's ass still held deeply onto his face. The teen took some time to catch his breath again. Ted smacked one of his butt-cheeks to snap him back to reality. Darren gasped then turned around to look at his leader.

"So… why do you think Darren?"

The boy smiled and chuckled a bit.

"Fucking… amazing."

He slowly got up and put his pants back on. He got off the table before looking at his friends.

"I bet you guys are fucking hard right now… aren't you?"

"You fucking bet we are."

"Yeah, that was so hot! I almost jizzed in my pants just by watching you… fuck, dude!"

Both Bill and Seth looked at him with devious smiles. Ted smirked evilly and spoke in an unbelievably cold and commending voice:

"Time to make him pay for real… bend him over the table!"

The guys eagerly obeyed their leader. Tom was put face down on the table. Darren took the knife from Ted who went behind the boy while Bill and Seth held him down.

"You boys had your fun… now it's my time"

As he said those words, Ted took Tom's pants and underwear over his little bubbly booty. He took a second to admire the boy's cute little fanny. He spanked Tom twice and was pleased with both the firmness and bounciness of his butts.

"Damn… would you look at that ass… So fine. Now, spread your legs for me."

Tom was scared now so he stayed still. He knew what they were going to do and he didn't know if he was really ready for it. Seth yelled at him:

"You heard the man, bitch… fucking spread your legs wide apart."

Tom was still very unsure but he knew it was in his best interest to cooperate. He separated his legs as much as he could and gasped in a mixed of shock and pain when he felt an entire finger enter his ass without warning. Thankfully for the boy, Ted had sucked on his index before probing his anus. Still, it was definitely a bit painful, especially since Tom was pretty tight.

"Just like I thought… virgin tightness..."

Ted began moving his finger in and out of the opening. It was so painful for Tom that he could not stop himself from shrieking.

"Shut the hell up!"

Darren put the blade back in front of the boy's eyes.

"But it hurts!"

Tom yelled out and all the guys looked worried all of a sudden. They knew they couldn't shut him up but they wanted him to be conscious. They wanted him to hurt, badly. Yet, they had to keep the volume down or else take a chance of being found out. And they absolutely could not be found out, by anyone. Darren then had an idea and he smirked at its evilness.

"Wait guys… don't worry. I just got a flash."

He removed his shoes, then his pants, then his underwear. The others looked at him puzzled with the exception of Ted who had understood what the curly-haired boy was up to. Darren took briefs in his hands then put his pants back on fallowed by his shoes. Bill was totally lost:

"Going commando… that's your flash Darren?"

The teen looked at him with an exasperated expression.

"No, dumbass. We need to keep him quite right?"

Seth looked just as confused as Bill. Darren was baffled by the stupidity of his comrades.

"Well… since he liked the taste of my ass so much…"

The young man took his briefs and shoved them quickly inside Tom's lips, stuffing his mouth completely.

"I'll let him suck on that!"

The two boys who had finally understood began to laugh. Ted looked please by his curly friend's initiative and took out his finger from inside Tom's ass. The little boy felt released when he sensed that digit being removed but his relief was cut short when he saw the leader take his huge cock out and position himself. He was so scared of how much pain a thing that size could make him endure that he began frantically shaking him behind, refusing that dick any access to his private area. Unfortunately, he quickly felt Darren strong hands on his body, keeping him still.

"Stop shaking, you little bitch and take your fucking punishment like a man… this is what you get for thinking you were strong enough to stand up to us."

Ted smiled grew even larger and he chuckled diabolically.

"That's right. You are nothing but a weak little boy. We... are big and strong… and the strong always dominate over the weak... Never forget that!"

Ted placed the tip of his cock in the same angle as Tom's asshole and pushed violently inside until his shaft was fully in. The little boy tried screaming so hard but his cries were all absorbed by Darren's brief in his mouth. Blood came out of his broke-into backdoor. Ted wasn't the least bothered by it. In fact, it turned him on and the sight of it mixed with the sound of muffled shouts of pain was all he needed to make him want to fuck even harder. He slowly took a bit of his meat out of the anus then rushed back in. He then started a series of rapid and harsh back-and-forth.

"So how is it? You should be thankful… since it's your first time I'm being gentle… or at least I'm trying… so come on, tell me… how's your first fuck… how's your first time being taken up the ass… you like it? I bet you fucking like it… huh? You like the pain… huh? Oh don't even try… I know you fucking like it, don't you, you little whore? Huh? Tell me… How's the taste of your first man?"

Ted chuckled, however Tom's rectal canal was so unbelievably tight that he wasn't able to hold his juice back for very long and he came inside the boy's arse. Ted quickly took his meet out and closed up his pants again. He looked around to see his friends laughing at the little boy who had started crying.

"Bill, why don't you have yourself a little fun again? I can just tell that big horse-dick of yours is hacking right now."

Bill didn't hesitate a second and once again exchanged places with his leader in order to abuse little Tom. He penetrated him right away and Tom cried even harder than before.

"That's right… oh… there… right there… here little slut… how does it feel… does it feel good… does it hurt? Hum… shit you're thigh… not gonna… last... long… huh… here… here I come!"

And once again Tom felt himself being filled up by hot sperm. And then came Seth's turn. The boys exchanged places and went behind him before he entered just as viciously and furiously as the others before him.

"Yup… that's the shit! Hum, right here… ah, fuck yeah. This is just what you want isn't it. We've seen you watching us… when we played shirtless basketball… and in the showers… you've always wanted our big, fat cocks inside your tiny asshole… well there you go bitch… there you have it now. Are you happy? My god, such a good little fuck-hole you got there... Uh! I'm going to shoot a load… I'm gonna shoot a load inside your ass. Ah!"

Seth came and his semen mixed with that of the others inside the bloody butthole. It was Darren's turn and he was more than happy to be the last one fucking Tom. He barely took the time to undo his pants before jumping inside.

"Ah! Here we go at last… Oh come on boy… I let you have a nice taste of my nasty ass… I'm just having a little taste of yours… hum… that cute little butt of yours… so hot, so very squeezing. Seth's right, you know. We did see you looking at us like we were a plate of fresh meats. You're lucky you're not the only one who likes guy's assholes… We just prefer fucking the hell out of them than anything else, is all. But it's okay cause we know you like it… I know you like it. I know you like feeling my nice, hard prick deep inside your tush… oh, you like feeling my balls slapping against those sweet little round cheeks of yours… you like to hear the sound of it too… huh, you drive me crazy… hum, get ready for me… huh… so… close guys… ha… coming in his ass… ah!"

Darren, eyes shut tight as he climaxed, released a huge flow of cum within Tom's body. He withdrew from the cleft and buttoned-up his pants. He looked down at the weeping boy and smirked before saying:

"I'll be taking that back now… hoped you enjoyed it… I know I did."

He chuckled then took his underwear out of Tom's mouth. The boy let out a yelp and he kept crying out of pain. The other boys laughed once more and then regrouped before leaving the room quietly. They just left the boy there; tears running down his face and a mix of blood and sperm leaking from his anus. Ted looked back one last time at that boy he had just raped… his only regret was to not have had the chance to cum on his flawless face and perfect hair. Tom was shaking and he stayed in the same position for an hour, crying and cursing his molesters. He was so mad and ashamed of himself for letting it happen but most of all, he was furious and filled with hatred towards those guys.

Tom didn't care anymore about his previous desire for them. He knew it didn't matter that he liked boys nor did it matter that he had fantasized about those particular bad ones; they had no rights to do what they did. What they did was wrong. Tom had not enjoyed it and they didn't mean for him too: they had wanted him to suffer, he understood that. And it was wrong. No one should be force to endure pain like that. No one should have to be carelessly used only to satisfy someone else's needs. Before it was different; before the moment when Ted had forcefully entered him, Tom was at least enjoying himself, even if he was not fully free.

But just because he had indeed felt pleasure through what those boys had done to him, prior to that moment, it absolutely did not give them the right to take him against his will like that. Especially not in the violent and cruel way they had done it. The fact that he was turned on by those guys was not an excuse for them to do as they pleased with his body. It was still his, after all. It did not belong to anyone but him, and he knew that… and yet… they had done exactly what they had wanted with his body… they did just as they had planned... why? It was so unfair, why? ! Why were they able to just take him like that… like he was a thing… like he was nothing in fact?

But Tom knew exactly why… because they could. He had been at their mercy because he couldn't keep them from doing as they please; because he was unable to stop them. Because he was weak. He was too weak. So weak. So… vulnerable. He was not strong enough to resist and escape them. Unlike them... he was not strong. Ted was right… he was just a boy… just a weak boy and they were strong, so much stronger and bigger than him. He had been defenceless against them. They were so strong... they didn't even need that freaking knife! Tom kept thinking:

"_So this it… this is reality… the weak just have to stay silent and obey the strong… all they can do is serve them quietly… and the strong can just do whatever they like… no one can stop them… if they are strong enough. So… all I have to do is become strong_…_ the strongest… and no one will ever be able to hurt me again." _

_End of Flash-Back_

Harry was completely flabbergasted. What he had seen had just broken his heart. He could not believe Tom had gone through this and survived. It was even worse than what he had gone through himself. Harry was surprised but he had to admit that, although Tom had indeed hurt him… it was nothing like that, or at least… not in Harry's opinion. The boy was taken out of his daze by Tom's hot tears falling on his shoulder. The young man was so truly sorry for what he had done. Even if he had wanted to, Harry could not have doubted his sincerity. And that's the thing... he did not want to doubt anymore. He wanted to believe in Tom's honesty for once.

Because somehow it felt good; it felt right. This… being in this man's strong and comforting arms, feeling the warmth of his breath and his heart beating at the same time as his own… it felt right… it felt… perfect. Harry just wanted to abandon himself to this hot comfort and let it fill him up. He needed it. He needed to feel reassured and calmed after what he had lived through but most of all... after what he had just witnessed. He did not know what it all meant for him and for Tom and... for the both of them, just yet. He was determined to find out though, just… not right now. Right now, he felt like resting... And just like that he fell asleep… they both did. Harry and Tom, in the huge bed, asleep in each other's arms… like nothing had happened... like everything would be alright... somehow...

... But when he woke up, Harry found himself all alone inside the large bed… Tom was gone…

**Author's note: GA-LA-XI-A GORGEOUS! **

**and remember: REVIEW EVERY TIME! THANK YOU ALL! LOVE YOU!  
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	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Remember people: REVIEW EACH CHAPTER! EACH review is a reminder for me to bring the next chapter on time! This is a message to EVERYONE who enjoys this fic. Please, this is REALLY the best way to show me your support.**

**Chapter 6: we need to talk.**

... But when he woke up, Harry found himself all alone inside the large bed… Tom was gone…

… Harry looked around the room frantically. He calmed down when he saw the familiar shape of the young man looking outside the window. His naked, well-built back was facing the little boy. He was only wearing the bottom half of a striped pyjama. He was holding his right wrist in his left hand, in the back of his waist. It was sunny outside. Since it was summer now, it was a little harder to tell exactly what time of the day it was just by looking at the amount of sun-rays coming through the window. This was unfortunate for Harry who was really starting to worry about how much time he had already spent away from Hogwarts.

But before taking care of that, the boy knew there were far more pressing matters at hand right now: namely, a boy called Tom. The other guy wasn't turning around. Harry knew he needed to speak but he was so clueless as to what he should say exactly. They were so many thoughts rushing through his head that he feared he would go crazy. Fortunately, there was one question that was more important to him than all the others: he really wanted to know how much time had passed since he had disappeared from the chamber. That meant he at least knew where to start the conversation. This reassured him a little bit. Just a little bit.

"To... Tom?"

His voice was so hesitant and weak that he barely recognized the sound of it. Seeing no reaction from the older boy, he figured he had not been heard. He gathered up all of the Gryffindor courage he had left and spoke louder and on a more affirmative tone this time.

"Tom."

The Slytherin was so surprised by the boy's voice that he nearly jumped. He turned around quickly to meet Harry's gaze which was just about as confused as his own. Tom let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Harry... I... you startled me..."

"I'm sorry."

Harry stared at Tom with eyes full of sincerity. The young man urgently replied:

"N-No, no, don-don't apologies for that, it's okay... really... I'm just glad you're finally awake."

Tom felt an ache in his chest. He didn't want that kid apologizing for anything right now. His strongest belief at the moment was that this boy didn't need to feel guilty about anything. Hearing him apologies only reminded the teen how much he could never apologies enough himself for what he had done to him. Yet, he was so happy to see the Gryffindor doing better again that he couldn't help but smile once more. Harry looked up at him and smiled back which only made Tom's grin grow wider.

"I slept for a while there, huh?"

"Just for about ten hours."

Tom kept on smiling like an idiot but Harry was baffled to hear that he had slept for so long, especially since he didn't sleep very much usually. Seeing the worry in the boy's gaze, the older one quickly went on.

"But it's okay! Hell, it's normal that you've slept that much after what... well... you needed to rest so... I'm glad that you did."

They both kept staring at each other in such an awkward way. They were both just as puzzled about this whole mess. They were both so lost. Harry spoke again.

"Wha-What time is it?"

"It's about four thirty in the afternoon."

"Oh... thank you."

"It's nothing."

They just stayed like that for a about a good two minutes, both too scared and confused about everything to get pass the awkwardness of it all. Finally, Harry sighed and spoke, unable to bear with the silence any longer.

"Can we just... talk already?"

Tom was surprised by Harry's willingness to actually have this conversation. Fact is; he really wasn't as brave himself, and so he tried playing dumb at first.

"What do you mean? Isn't that what we're doing right now, you know-"

"Tom... please. Don't be like this. We are going to have to discuss what happened at some point, so... look; can't we just get over it and speak openly about the giant elephant in the room right now? I mean-"

"I know what you mean."

Tom closed his eyes; unable to face what was to come but still ready to accept its inevitability. Harry looked at him with understanding and empathy. He smiled softly.

"I know you do... and I know... I know it's-"

"Not easy?"

"Yeah... to say the least... but like I said, don't worry... I get it."

Harry placed himself on the left side of the bed so as to leave some space. He gazed up at Tom with a calm and inviting expression and put his hand on the empty space beside him on the bed. The older boy was completely puzzled by Harry's peaceful reaction and apparent kindness towards him.

"Come here..."

"Harry I-"

"Please Tom... sit with me."

Tom was so overwhelmed. Harry's attitude was beyond incomprehension to him. Neither hatred nor coldness emanated from him. He just seemed so relaxed and at ease. He should have been mad or desperately sad like he had been when Tom had found him earlier. That was normal. That made sense. Even thought he hated to see the boy like that, these were the kind of emotions that he knew and that he could easily deal with. After all, they had always been so much part of his life. Still, the young man thought he'd rather have to cope with this intense friendliness and genuine serenity, than with that awful and devastated sight he had been confronted with earlier.

The teen slowly moved forward until he reached the bed. He was so thankful to see that, while he had been in the bathroom preparing his potion, the boy had apparently put his underwear back on. Tom carefully upped on the mattress and sat with his back against the board. He looked at his feet then closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. However, the second he opened his eyelids and turned his head to look at the one sitting beside him, he found himself internally panicked by the proximity he now shared with the boy. Indeed, the closeness of their two bodies was so stressful for him that he quickly averted his gaze. He looked everywhere around the room until he found a chair. He felt so relief when he spotted it. He rapidly turned towards Harry, trying his very best to avoid looking at the boy's naked torso.

"You know what? I think it would be much better for me to be able to talk to you... you know... face-to-face. Let me get that chair so I can sit in front of you."

The young man practically ran out of the bed and went to get the furniture. He positioned it toward the bed and sat silently on it. He bowed his head, looked down on the ground and took a minute to collect his thoughts before gazing up to see a smiling Harry looking back at him. The boy seemed very amused at his reaction. He was. In fact, Harry thought the Slytherin's show of uncomfortable vulnerability and shyness made him look rather sweet... endearing even, and... almost kind of... cute. It was such a complete "180" from his usual composure and iciness. Tom felt compelled to ask: "what are you smirking at?" to the boy in a harsh, menacing voice.

He felt attacked by Harry's unhidden amusement at his expense. It made him feel ridiculed and the fact that he was a susceptible person to begin with did nothing to help. Tom was a proud, self-obsessed queen at heart. He had always known that. However, two things held him back in that moment. For one thing, he knew he couldn't just snap at the kid like that after everything that had happened. It just wasn't right. They boy had suffered enough at his hands and for Tom to realize that about someone was definitely a first. That guy never knew when to stop once he was cranked up. At least, he was aware of that too about himself.

The other reason was that, deep down, Tom knew that Harry was not laughing at him in a superior or malicious way... like Tom himself would normally have. He was just having fun because of the situation itself, so the Slytherin let it slide down his back and actually felt really proud of himself for doing so. He was in fact becoming less irritable and more blissful by the minute thanks to this boy's sole presence. It made him feel so good to know that he actually was becoming a different... and dare he say it... better person because of Harry. "Never heard something so cheesy", was what Tom said to himself at that moment. And yet... that's just the way it felt. More importantly, it felt good. It felt damn good in fact. Tom liked feeling like this. He liked the way Harry made him feel: simple as that.

"I'm glad to see you smile."

They both stared at each other for a couple of minutes after that one. It was impossible to know who was more baffled; Harry for hearing it or Tom for saying it. The older boy could not believe he had said those words. Although he meant it, he would have never allowed this sentence to escape his lips in normal times. Usually, he was far too in control of himself to let something so bold get pass him. Plus, he had to admit that he never thought he would have the balls to say something like that. Was this also because of this boy? Tom wondered. Nonetheless, he knew he had said it and now he had to make a choice. It was a surprisingly easy one to make actually. Tom just didn't have the courage to try and pretend anymore and he knew the boy had heard him, so he might as well just get on with it and own up to it like a man. The indisputable truth was that: what he said was purely and simply a heartfelt affirmation.

"What... did you say?"

Harry was more incredulous than ever. To hear Riddle say that he was sorry for what he had done was one thing, but for him to actually say that he basically cared for his well-being was just off the wall. And yet, Harry detected no lies in the young man's voice and Tom himself didn't seem inclined to deny what had just been said.

"You heard me right... I am glad to see you smile... in fact; it makes me a lot happier to see you like this... especially, compared to the way I saw you... earlier."

Harry closed his eyes. Remembering the state he had been in previously wasn't easy for him. He felt ashamed of how defenceless and pathetic he must have seemed.

"Yeah... about that... I'm so-"

"Don't say you're sorry!"

Tom was frowning in irritation, but he calmed down when he saw the shock and fear in the boy's face.

"Please... please, stop saying that. Don't apologies for anything. You did nothing wrong. I did!"

"Tom, I-"

"Please... let me finish. I... I... I... raped you... Harry."

Harry felt pain clutching his heart as he watched the boy opposite to him look in his direction with such guilt-stricken eyes. It was so painful to watch for him.

"So... if anyone is going to apologize between the two of us... ever again... it's going to be me."

"Tom, I-"

"You don't have to say anything Harry. I don't ask for your forgiveness nor do I deserve it. I just want you to know how... truly sorry I am. I swear. I really am... I'm so... so sorry..."

Harry just wanted to say something. Anything to make him stop but he was too shocked to even move an inch.

"I know it doesn't mean anything to you. I know there's nothing I can do. I know what I did was just... way too much. I know it's too late and too lame of an apology. I know I can never-"

"Tom, please stop, I forgive you!"

Harry just blurted it out with his eyes shut close. Tom froze solid as those words went through his mind. He couldn't believe it. He refused to believe it.

"What?"

"You heard me... I said I forgive you."

"But Harry, I-"

"No! I really mean it, I forgive you, Tom! I forgive you for the words. I forgive you for the pain. I forgive you for what you stole from me. I forgive you for hurting me. I forgive the bruises. I forgive the blood. I forgive all that you have done and said to me... I forgive you... Tom."

Harry stared at him with a fearless determination and Tom felt the tears rising up again. He spoke in a shaky, hardly-contained voice. He was almost weeping.

"Harry... you can't, I... I raped you! Damn it! Didn't you hear me? I said I took your virginity without your consent; I stole a part of you that you'll never be able to get back! And you... you're just going to... you can't just... I said you can't!"

Harry frowned.

"It's not your call to make, Tom. I'm the only one who gets to decide who I forgive and that's that. It's not your place to tell me anything."

Tom couldn't hold it anymore. Harry was actually angry that he didn't want him to forgive what he had done. It was like the world was upside-down. Nothing made sense to him anymore. Harry was not supposed to forgive him. People didn't forgive. People hated you the minute you screwed up. People beat you up if you so much as pumped into them by accident. That was reality. Why was Harry so bizarre? Why was he so forgiving? That was not natural. That was not normal. Even if he had been on his knees, begging, Tom would have never expected a reaction like this. For crying out loud, he did not deserve to be forgiven! How could Harry be so blind as to not see that?

"But... but... it doesn't... you... I can't... why?"

Seeing the confusion in his opposite, Harry's angry face melted into caring concern once again. Tom could not hold back anymore. He began sobbing uncontrollably, putting his face into his hands. Harry was overthrown by this display of tears. Even after last night, it still felt so unusual coming from the normally icy teen. Harry held out his hand and pressed it firmly on the older guy's shoulder to give him some sort of comfort. Tom could never tell him how great it felt to feel his touch. Once again, the Slytherin was mesmerized by Harry's kindness. After all he had put him through. Why was the boy so good to him? Why was he so good to everyone? Why was he so good? And why wasn't Tom that way too? He didn't know why, but because of that boy he wanted to be.

"It's alright Tom... It's going to be alright... I'm here."

The kid talked to him with such confidence and compassion that Tom was almost ready to believe him. He wanted to believe him so badly. But he still did not understand this generosity and sweetness that came from him. And what Tom could not understand, he could not believe; he could not trust. And yet, he trusted Harry. As puzzling, complex and difficult to figure out as this boy was, he was the very first person Tom had ever truly trusted. Without boundaries, without fears he believed in this young man. If he could only understand his behaviour though; it would be a plus indeed. But there was only one way to do that. He had to talk to him. He had to keep pushing their discussion further, no matter how much everything the little guy said affected him.

"Wh...Why?"

Tom managed to articulate with an extreme difficultly. He raised his head and looked up at Harry who seemed confused once again.

"Why what? What are you saying Tom?"

"Why are you so... nice?"

Harry looked at him strangely; like the answer to his question was so oblivious.

"Well... you're clearly having a hard time here. How could I not try and make you feel better."

"But after-"

"Will you stop? I said I forgave you already, didn't I?"

"Yes, but why? !"

"Because I know-!"

Harry froze solid. He could not believe what he had almost revealed. Tom looked at him questionably.

"What? What is it you know?"

"I don't, I... I..."

"Harry."

Tom's glare had gone from sad to fierce-looking in a matter of seconds. He was clearly not going to back down until he got his answer. He was definitively not in the mood to kid around with this. Harry closed his eyes and let out a defeated sigh.

"Before I tell you... just promise me you won't get mad..."

"Harry-"

"Mad like before... I mean."

Tom's suddenly serious mood was softened by the worry that transpired through Harry's voice.

"Harry I-"

"Please just-"

"I promise Harry. You don't have to worry about that anymore. Never again. I promise you."

Harry slowly opened his eyes and the face he was met with reassure him of Tom's sincerity.

"I saw... something... a sort of... vision I guess."

Tom gulped. Harry averted his gaze.

"A... vision, you say?"

"Yes and... I saw... you. I saw you in that vision. Or rather, a younger version of you. I... I think what I saw was your past... and it was..."

"Horrible? Painful? Heart-Wrenching?"

The boy was caught up by those words. It was like Tom had been able to read his mind right then and there. He looked back at Tom and realized that there was a complete empathy in his eyes; something Harry had not anticipated to see there.

"Yes... that's it. Wait... Tom how-?"

"Because I saw the same thing. Only... with you."

Harry's expression widened; his face became pale and he almost gasped.

"You... You mean."

Tom nodded. Harry looked away once again. He felt deep shame. Shame over who he was, who he was reminded to be: a poor little reject orphan boy. Shame over how pitiful and helpless he must have seemed to the other boy. He did not realize that Tom felt the exact same way. He had not seen that Tom had turned his head away at the exact same instant he had, for the very same reason.

"You know what I mean."

Harry could not hold the little tears. Furthermore, he was too mentally and physically tired to even try.

"You know... I never told anybody. I mean... I told them about the general stuff like the cupboard under the stairs but... not about... the other stuff, you know? Nothing about..."

"The really important stuff."

Harry was so shocked again by Riddle's ability to know exactly what he had to say.

"Yeah..."

"I get it."

Harry nodded, and then blushed a little bit.

"I know you do. You read me like I'm an open book."

Tom was most surprised in his turn by that one sentence. He did not at all expect that kind of bold declaration from the boy. But it was the assertiveness of his statement that was even more shocking. Tom would have thought someone who knew him like Harry did would have used caution with that kind of "compliment". However, what was more bothersome to Tom was that he did not know if it was a good or a bad thing. Was he being amazing or just annoying to the kid? Did Harry mean: "Nobody understands me like you do" or "Nobody keeps me from finishing my own sentences like you do"?

"That's... very... special... to hear that from you. Don't you think you're being a little... generous?"

Tom spoke in a cunning attempt to clarify things. Harry shook his head slightly.

"Not at all. It's true... nobody ever got me like that."

The young man could not help but smile internally. It felt good somehow to know that the boy felt close to him in a way and that he felt like Tom could relate to him. And the Slytherin really did relate. He had felt the same pain. He knew what it felt like; going through the motion, knowing nobody will ever be able to even imagine what kind of sorrow you have to live with, let alone understand it. He knew the hatred and more importantly; the shame. It is that sentiment that you are weaker and lesser than everyone else around you because you've been a downright victim. But at the same time, the last thing you want is people's sympathy. Nobody wants what, in the end, is really just pity. Because: knowing somebody feels bad for you only makes you feel even worse.

And when somebody dares to say that "they understand", you just want to knock them out, even more so if they are your friends. Because they can't, they just can't understand what it is. Nevertheless, Tom felt more hopeful than ever knowing the boy understood him. With him it was different, because Harry really did understand what it was like to be "that" person. Tom knew he would never have to draw him a picture. Even better: he knew they barely had to talk between themselves to communicate their thoughts regarding their respective pasts. More than hope, Riddle felt pure joy and an indescribable amount of gratitude and humility towards Harry. He was grateful for the words and humble towards the feelings. The boy was so genuinely kind and honest. In such a way that it inspired much respect on the Slytherin's part. And for somebody like him; to actually have respect for someone, that definitely wasn't an everyday business. Tom smiled warmly.

"You know... I think you don't realize that the only reason I get you so well... is because you get me so well... and I don't deserve it. I don't deserve that kind of compliment. And I definitely don't deserve your kindness or your compassion either."

Harry looked extremely concerned.

"Tom, don't-"

"It's true, okay! Stop trying to defend me, that's just another thing I don't deserve... and you know that... better than anyone else as a matter of fact, Harry."

The boy's face went from concern to a wide smiled and he couldn't help but scuff. Tom looked at him confusedly. In fact, it was a bit insulting to see someone laugh at him, so unapologetically like that. Even thought he tried to remain calm so as to not scare Harry again, he just couldn't help himself. He had to ask;

"What is it? What's so funny?"

Harry put his hands up in defence.

"No it's not what you think. I'm not laughing at you, it's just... well... you called me Harry."

Tom didn't understand.

"Well... yes. Isn't that your name?"

Harry looked at him with an amused expression.

"Well, you usually call me Potter."

Realization hit Tom in the face like a truck. Harry went on.

"I know you do it by disdain for me."

Tom felt so ashamed in that instant that he had to look down but Harry quickly continued.

"Don't feel bad! I usually call you by your first name for the same reason. I know you hate being called Tom... and that's why I do it."

It was Tom's turn to chuckle. He couldn't help but fully agree with the kid.

"You're right. I usually hate it when people call me by that name... it reminds me of my father..."

Tom looked intensely sombre as he spoke that last bit and Harry understood more than ever the length of bad feelings that Tom had for his dad. This went far beyond simple muggle-hatred. Harry could just tell that there was far more to it, and he was determined to learn more about it in the future. Tom carried on.

"... yet... I don't know what it is, but... coming from you... it's not half as unpleasant."

"I know what you mean. My name feels good in your mouth too."

Harry stopped right there. He could not believe he had just said that. He could not believe he had meant it so much either. Both he and Tom looked each other in the eyes, shocked beyond beliefs by what they had just admitted to one another. Then, they simultaneously turned their heads to the side, blushing furiously. Harry spoke first.

"Huh... anyway... I guess all I'm saying is that... I like that you are using my first name now... you know... cause it makes me feel more like you are talking to me as an equal rather than an inferior, like when you call me Potter and stuff... you know?"

Tom answered in a very rapid debit.

"Ye-Yeah... I totally understand."

"Good."

"Great."

It took some more minutes of breath-in, breath-out on both parts before these boys were actually able to turn their heads to face each other again. When they made eye contact once more, they found themselves completely speechless. They just stood there, silent and motionless. After a while of deep starring, Harry found the courage to keep going with what he had really wanted to talk about all along.

"Just for the record... I don't agree with you."

Tom looked even more puzzled then ever but before he could inquire what Harry meant by that, the boy pursued.

"I think you do deserve it. You deserve my kindness. You deserve my forgiveness. You've been through enough. We both have. I think it would only be fair for me to give you a break. You say you are sorry... and I believe you, so... I accept your apologies and I am ready to move on with this."

Tom looked exasperated and he was ready to cut Harry just then.

"Harry-"

"Don't interrupt me, please. I'm not done just yet."

Tom simply sighted and nodded.

"Do not misunderstand me... I will never forget what you did to me."

Tom almost gasped.

"I will never forget how much you hurt me... ever. Even if I wanted to, I can't. You left a permanent mark on me. You scarred me... inside. I can never wash this away..."

Although hurt, Tom was almost relieve to hear the boy say that. It was the first time the boy's words made sense to him. Feelings like resentment and pain, he could deal with.

"... But I don't want to hold it against you anymore."

Of course, Harry had to strike back again with is incomprehensible sweetness and mercy.

"I don't want to look at you and only see that night. I want to be able to put the past behind us... as much as possible. I want to be able to see you for who I know you truly are. And I know you are not the same person that you were last night. I just know it."

Tom didn't understand the boy at all anymore. None of this made any sense to him. Why was the boy so determined to make him feel better about himself instead of using this opportunity he was giving Harry to bring him down? The emotions were too strong for Riddle again. He let his head fall in desperation towards the grown and took his face in between his hands, trying to fight the beginning of a treacherous and powerful headache.

"But... how can you..."

"Simply put; I've had enough: enough of the pain, enough of the hatred. I am sick and tired of it all. In a way, I am doing this more for myself than I am doing it for you. I do not feel anymore anger or desire for revenge towards you and let me tell you: I feel so much better that way. The fact is; I just don't like the way I feel when I'm mad or hateful... towards anybody. I feel like its eating me up inside and I don't like what it makes me do... or what it makes other people do."

Tom looked up at him knowingly.

"Again, don't misunderstand me. Part of the reason why I forgive you so willingly is because I realise how we both said and did horrible things that night. I was unfair to you. I never actually thought of you and Voldemort as the same person. His sins are his own, not yours. I accused you, knowing that in my heart. I did it with the very clear intention to hurt you; to make you feel bad and guilty and I succeeded. I don't care what happened before; anyway you put it, my motives were mean and selfish. It was uncalled for and I was wrong to do it. So if you were able forgive me for that... I guess it's only normal for me to forgive you in return. The way I see it, we were both wrong and we both apologies. Let's just bury the hatchet."

Again with this nonsense and heroic forgiveness; Tom could not take it anymore. This boy was too righteous for his own good. And knowing that he had dirtied such a pure soul only made him feel even more like a monster. It only increased his incomprehension. The mixed feelings of guilt and confusion made it hard to retain the tears from falling again. How could the boy even compare what Tom had done to him with what the Gryffindor had said to him? Even worse, how could he even think for a second that Tom still held him accountable for that?

"But..."

"Don't think for a second that I don't realize that what you... did to me... was far more of a nightmare than whatever I put you through... I do, believe me... but here's the thing: you went through the same nightmare in your childhood and... it might not make a difference to you but... it makes a whole world of difference to me. Especially... after the way you apologized."

Tom looked up at the boy with a strange sentiment of hope. Harry saw it in his eyes, so he decided that he was going to be fully honest with him, no matter what.

"I'm not going to lie... earlier... I felt... great when you... hugged me... and like I said before... I liked the way you said my name... like you were talking to an equal... like you understood me... and you did; you do... you do understand me, I know that now. And after seeing those visions... I felt the same way I know you did when you saw the ones about me... and that's when I knew... no matter what had happened... I had forgiven you. That was it. I could not be mad at you anymore and you know what? It feels indescribably amazing to not be... so angry... anymore. In fact, I just know that I don't ever want to feel like that, ever again. So let's just... move on and be done with all of this. Let us finally put an end to this vicious circle once and for all. That's all I really want... don't you?"

That's it; now the boy even cared about his opinion! Tom never thought for a second he would have had a say in this. For him, it made absolutely no sense that Harry cared so much about his opinion. Harry should have just thought about himself and not worry a bit about him. That was only rational. That was logical to him. That's what Tom would have done in his place. But the boy cared so much. And that didn't make any sense either! Why did he care at all to begin with? Why! The Slytherin just could not hold it in anymore. He started crying uncontrollably once more. He was barely able to not fall to his knees. Harry was completely shocked. He did not know what to do. How was he supposed to react?

And just then... like it was most natural thing to do... he just got up... walked over to the chair in front of him... bend over the crying boy sitting in it... and embraced him, literally. Harry took Tom in his arms and lowered his head onto Tom's until he was as close to the teen's body as he could be. Although a little surprised by his own courage at first, Harry became more assertive as he kept hugging the older boy. He had been a little nervous at first but it was like a force beyond his control had urged him to do something quickly to comfort the one sitting in front of him. Hugging just happened to be the best way Harry knew how to comfort others. As for Tom, although he was a bit taken aback by the sudden weight around him, at this point he was just so totally lost with the "how" and the "why" that he didn't care to question anything anymore.

Right now, he just wanted to enjoy the reassuring feeling and the warmth that were coming from the body surrounding his own. Harry's care and softness were so greatly appreciated in fact that Tom did not lose one more second pondering what to do. He just listened to his guts and threw his arms around the boy's waist. He then brought Harry even closer to him and buried his face into the boy's naked chest. He tightened his grip as much as he could while trying not to suffocate Harry. It felt so good to have him so near. He never wanted it to end. And even though Harry had been a little taken by surprise when Tom suddenly hugged him back, he felt the same way. He started stroking Tom's amazingly soft hair delicately and whispering gently to him.

"It's okay Tom... I'm here, it's okay... I'm here..."

Tom answered between sobs;

"Please... don't go."

"I'm not going to... I'm not going anywhere. I promise I'm going to stay right here... I'm not leaving you Tom."

Tom calmed down and progressively stopped crying as Harry kept stroking his hair. Harry smiled.

"Are you feeling better?"

Tom looked up to him with a small curving of the lips. His smile was only a bit weak because he was so tired from crying so much. He nodded.

"Yes... thank you."

Harry's smile became even brighter.

"You're welcome."

And they stayed like this, in each other's arms for what could seem like an eternity for some bystander, but really felt like mere seconds to the both of them. Tom eventually loosened his embrace around Harry and the boy took it as a sign that he was ready to talk again. He went to sit back down on the bed. He kept intensely staring at the young man in front of him, waiting patiently for Tom to rebuild his composure. The Slytherin closed his eyes and lowered his head. His beautiful dark hair fell down upon his face like a cascade, hiding his face. As he started rearranging the thoughts in his head, Tom smirked.

"What are you smiling about?" Harry inquired.

Tom looked up at him and he scoffed loudly.

"Huh! Nothing... it's just..."

Harry looked at him inquisitively.

"Yes...?"

"Well... you must think I'm pretty pathetic is all."

Tom laughed but Harry didn't understand.

"Why?"

"Well... the way I just sat there and cried like a baby in your arms... so ridiculous, right? I mean... to think I'm the one who needed comfort from you! It's just... laughable isn't it?"

"Tom, don't say that."

Tom looked away in shame.

"It's true, okay! ? In the end... I'm really just... so pathetic! ... Right?"

Harry looked sadly at the young man. Tom almost gasped when he felt Harry's hand touch his own gently. The older boy looked at the younger one with a weird mixed of questioning and gratitude in his dark orbs.

"That's not the way I see it."

Harry smile softly to the teen who smiled back at him and started stroking his fingers playfully. And to his surprise, the boy didn't pull back his hand and instead kept beaming at him.

"Then how... how do you see it?"

"I think it actually takes a great deal more courage to let your guard down in front of someone than to simply close yourself up and completely detach from your own feelings. I don't see your tears as being a proof of weakness but rather... just a proof that you are in fact... human. And I got to say... I rather like this side of you."

Tom was blow away once again. He closed his eyes and lightly shook his head. Was there no limit to this boy's kindness?

"Why are you... like this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you so... good... to me? I mean... even after what I did to you?"

Harry was caught by surprise. And yet, somehow he actually knew the answer to that one.

"Because... I'm not your victim Tom."

Tom was unsure why but that answer just hit him in the chest like a really well-aimed "stupefy" spell.

"Wh-what...?"

"I refuse to be your victim. I make the decision not to be... In fact, I think I made that decision long ago."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... I could have decided to be the victim... a very long time ago. I mean... look at me. I'm the little orphan kid... the one that not even his relatives wanted... and everybody looks at me like I'm the famous hero and whatnot... like I should be so dam proud of me, like I should be so happy with my wonderful life... well guess what, they don't know a bloody thing! If they did I just bet they wouldn't envy me so much. I bet they would start to think twice before wishing they were me. And they do... oh they do... that is when they're not so obliviously jealous of me... like that stupid Malfoy. Like I'm anything to be jealous of! I'm not a hero. I'm just some lucky or rather not so lucky guy who, after discovering a year ago that all his life growing up had been nothing but a lie, got thrown into a world he knew nothing of and-and for what? Only to learn that the most powerful and dangerous dark wizard of all time was the one who killed his parents and that this bastard wants nothing more now than to find and kill him... and I'm just freaking twelve for god sake!"

"Harry..."

"I don't give a dam what anybody says or thinks... I don't care if I sound like a whiny baby when I talk about it all... which I try not to... even though it eats me up inside sometimes... because I just know people don't want to hear about stuff like that... not from me anyway. They don't want to hear complaints from the famous Harry Potter of all people... and even if they did... like my friends... I bloody well know they wouldn't begin to understand... and yet they would try to sympathize and it would just kill me more deep down because I love them and I know they're just trying to help and all but... anyway... I don't care because... because I think... I think it's pretty darn fair for me to complain about stuff like that... because those things shouldn't happen... to anyone!"

Harry look intensely angered and Tom was desperate to find a way to calm him down.

"Harry... I..."

"But still..."

And as if the anger had never been there to begin with, Harry's face regained its perfect serenity and composure.

"Ha... I'm not a victim. Even after all of that... I'm not... and I never will... I never want to... because I made the choice. I made the choice not be a victim. I decided long ago that just because all the people around me that didn't left me, hated me... that I was not going to let myself get drag down by them... they were not going to bring me down with them. I refused to be the victim... to be their victim... to be his victim... and to be yours."

Tom looked down again.

"I might not be worth that much, like everybody seems to think... but I'm at least worth more than that."

Harry didn't hesitate. He firmly yet gently took Tom's chin in his hand and pulled the teen's handsome visage up to face him. Tom allowed himself to be taken this way. In fact he delicately put his own hand onto Harry's and gave him his full attention.

"That's why I refuse to hold a grudge and make you my persecutor. I'm not your victim therefore... you are not my bully... simple as that."

Tom smiled. Harry went on.

"Besides... In all honesty, I know for a fact that this would be the easy way out for you. You would just be beating yourself up like I assume you always do... because that way... you turn yourself into the victim... and it is an easy place to be in. A victim is not responsible... and I've notice it's quite often the defence that most villain use. And I thinks it's pretty clear you're use to be the villain aren't you?"

Tom gave a sickly smiled in response.

"You know, I... I think in fact, the truth is that... you pretty much already accepted the role of the bad guy because-"

"Because I'd rather be a bully than a victim. Those did always seem like the only two options available and I guess I just assumed that a bully was at least stronger... and besides... it's kind of my way I guess you could say of... taking my revenge on life... getting back at all those who hurt me by just... hurting everybody else around me. Closing myself up so no one can hurt me... you're right... it is easier... but you know... what the easiest part is though?"

Harry shook his head lightly.

"Going around... pretending to be all mighty and stuff... just pretending that you actually think you're better than everybody else... doing such a good job at it that you end up convincing yourself. You forget your self-hatred and instead concentrate on hating everything and everyone that surrounds you. Take all the dirt, the filth and the darkness that's inside of you and lash it out onto the rest of the world... until it all just seems so... so nasty and gross... and disgusting and... so beneath you... so unworthy."

Harry felt deep sadness fill his heart when he heard Tom speaking with such a profound disgust in his voice and to see the blackness invade his eyes.

"Then you start to use your charm to get whatever you want... you act like the perfect little student so no one ever dares to suspect you of anything... you choose the worst kind of hooligans as your underlings... and all that... just ends up convincing you that the world is filled with nothing but idiots... and that you're the only one with any common sense."

Tom flashed a sour grin.

"And then you do the worst possible thing you can do... you stop questioning yourself. You just do whatever the hell pleases you without ever thinking of the consequences for other people... you become prick. A narcissist, ego-maniac, self-centered prick... who doesn't care about anyone but himself and doesn't even begin to realize... the pain... the pain he might inflict on someone... someone so... so wonderful... so beautiful... like..."

Tom wanted to finish that sentence but instead preferred ending his statement with a gesture he hoped expressed his feelings better than words could. He closed his eyes tightly, took Harry's hand firmly in his own, pressed it against his mouth and affirmatively kissed it with what he wished was the best his lips could provide.

Harry blushed and smiled, sincerely touched by the simple yet powerful action. He wanted to say something. It felt like forever for him to find the right words but they came naturally.

"You know... I never expected... nor even... ever really desired for it... but... among the many people who hurt me... you are the first one to actually apologies... in all honesty. And frankly... I don't think I could ever ask for anything more... from any of them."

Tom opened his eyes and looked up with intense admiration.

"I learned a long time ago that... you can't really ever take back what has been said and done... the only thing you can do... and I honestly think it's the hardest thing you can do... is to sincerely apologize to the one you wronged... really I do. I know this because obliviously, like everybody else who's human... I have been in that position. So... seeing as you did it... so genuinely may I add... how could I not forgive you? I know how happy it makes me when I am forgiven. So why should I deny you that feeling. Unless I really wanted to torture you which... I think I've already established is not something that makes me happy... not in the long run anyway."

Tom felt ashamed.

"Then... I was wrong... we aren't so alike, after all. I mean... the way you understand... the way you forgive... the way you choose to be happy instead of staying bitter. How you can see through me like that... see my true feelings... see the actual guilt. How you just... won't give in to anger and hate like... like I did... like I always do. You... you're so strong you know that? It's so much harder to forgive than to take revenge and... I don't think I'll ever understand how you do it. That's... you're... amazing... really."

Harry felt the blush creeping up his face once more. Tom was still so amazed but he had one more question.

"But I still don't understand... forgiving me is one thing but... why do you care so much about my feelings and... you know... making sure that I feel good about myself?"

Harry thought for a second and hesitated. He knew perfectly well the reason for that but he just wasn't sure if he was ready to divulge that type of information.

"I guess, you could say... because it just feels... like the right thing to do... I imagine."

Tom raised one eyebrow questioningly. He somehow felt that there was more to the answer than the boy let on. Seeing the interrogation in the older boy's eyes, Harry knew he would not get out of this one so easily. Tom wouldn't let go until he got the real answer. The boy sighted in defeat.

"In other words; because it makes me feel good too. It makes me feel good to make you feel good. That's it. You're happy, now?"

"Very."

Tom couldn't help but smirk wickedly at Harry's annoyed yet playful tone. But it was true. This simple sentence alone was responsible for his sudden regain of energy and positivism. Harry was blushing now and Tom decided that no sight had ever been more pleasing to him. He knew he shouldn't have pushed it further with Harry, but he couldn't help himself. He kept on smirking and waited to see more of the boy's delicious reaction. And he was not disappointed, the second Harry saw him, he frowned and became even redder.

"Get that smirks off your face will you?"

Tom simply started laughing, hardly containing himself.

"Sorry... ha-ha... couldn't help it I guess."

Harry was even more embarrassed now and he tried to hide his burning cheeks with his hands, unsuccessfully. As Tom kept laughing, he frowned even deeper while clenching his teeth together but this only encourage Tom to keep acting like an ass.

"I forgot how easily you could turn into a jerk."

Had it been anyone else, and under any other circumstances, Tom would have knocked the living hell out of anyone who would have dared to say something like that to him. But since it was Harry and he knew the boy was just responding to his teasing, he wanted nothing more than to keep playing along with him.

"That's true enough... I can be quite a jerk sometimes... just ask your ginger friend."

Then a meteor literally hit Harry in the face. He realized he had completely forgotten about Ginny. He stormed out of the bed and started looking frantically around the room for any sign of the girl.

"Where is she! ? Where is she! ?"

It was the other boy's turn to get it in the face by realization and he mentally kicked himself for not thinking before opening his stupidly big mouth. He got up and reached for Harry's shoulder.

"Harry-"

"What have you done to her!"

The boy jerked the teen's hand away and looked at him with a fiery anger consuming his gaze. Tom couldn't help but look down, unable to handle the spark of hatred he saw in the younger's eyes. However, he soon felt a gentle hand on his face, caressing his cheek tenderly. He looked back at the boy and saw a sad an apologetic expression on his face.

"Sorry... I shouldn't have reacted like that... it's just..."

Tom caressed the hand in return and shook his head lightly.

"No, it's okay... I get it."

They both smiled understandingly at each other.

"Don't worry she's safe. After I woke up and made sure you were alright I quickly realised you still needed some sleep so I got you under the cover and I took care of everything. I took Ginny and I went back to the chamber. Once I got there, I found that phoenix of yours. It's like he was just waiting for you to come back or something. I used a spell to transport them both outside of the chamber were I knew your other friend, you know, the other redhead was waiting for you with that other silly-looking man. Ginny awoke and she seemed perfectly fine. I even made sure she was by using the remaining magic link we still shared before braking that link forever. She's completely freed from the influence of the diary now. And she was perfectly alive and well from what I gathered, a bit tired and still in shock of course... but really okay nonetheless. I swear. I waited until I saw the bird getting the three of them out of there. After that I came back here, got in my pyjama and tried to go back to sleep again... unsuccessfully."

Harry chuckled a little.

"And do you know where they are now?"

Tom simply shrugged a little.

"I'm guessing there're in Dumbledore's care."

Harry nodded. If Fawkes had been the one to take them away, Dumbledore was sure to have them brought to safety. Still, now that the headmaster had been stripped from his position by the ministry, thanks to Draco's father, Harry had no clue where the man himself was. He knew he should think of a proper way to ask this first, but he really couldn't find one so he simply resorted to just letting it all out as it came.

"Could... could you take me to him... ?"

Tom raised an eyebrow, unsure of what the boy exactly meant by that. Harry sighted.

"To Dumbledore I mean. Could you... like you know... magically transport me to where he is... wherever that is... please."

Tom took a moment in order to try and remember the phenomenal quantity of teleporting spells he knew.

"Well... I do know many ways to that, however... with that kind of limited information about the destination... I would have to go with you for the spell I'm thinking of to work."

"That's fine by me... that is... if you don't mind coming along with me to see Dumbledore... of course."

Tom thought about it for a second. Though the prospect of seeing Dumbledore again did not exactly enchant him, he simply could not resist the boy's demand right now. In fact, Tom was pretty sure at this point the kid could have him do just about anything. Just as long as it made Harry smile up to him so sweetly like that.

"Well... meeting up with that old goat again is not exactly my version of fun but... if that's what you really want... I'll do it. No problem."

Harry beamed at him with such a happy face that Tom felt his newly-functioning heart melting inside his chest.

"Alright, let's go!"

Harry turn around ready to leave when he heard the teen behind him laughed a little.

"What is it?"

"Well... it's just... ha, I don't think you want to go see Dumbledore dress like that... is all."

Harry looked at himself and realized he was still just in his underwear. His face became entirely red in a matter of seconds.

"Oh! ... I see..."

Tom smiled and shook his head slightly.

"It's alright... here!"

And before he understood what was happening, a bright light covered him and Harry was back in his school uniform. The only difference being that this one was impeccably neat and warm as thought it just came out of the drier. Harry looked up and saw Tom all dressed up in his uniform as well. The teen smiled cheekily at him.

"One of my favourite clothes-washing spell."

Harry smiled back but he soon realized that something else was bugging him.

"And the diary... ?"

Tom pointed at a little table in the right corner.

"Over there."

Harry quickly spotted it. I was right there, lying about as if it was nothing more than a random book.

"Go on... you can take it if you want... there's nothing magic or special about it anymore. It's just a normal blank diary... waiting to be filled in."

Harry took it from the nightstand and put it in one of his pockets. When he turned around he saw Tom performing a spell of some kind. A subtle light appeared in his hands.

"Your wand, Harry... here take it back."

Tom pointed the butt-end of the stick towards Harry who gently pulled it towards him. The boy then put it back inside his robes, where it belonged. He looked up and saw the Slytherin extending his hand towards him. Without a moment of hesitation he grabbed the offered hand and squeezed it lightly, much to the other boy's pleasure.

"Repeat after me and concentrated on picturing Dumbledore inside your head. Close your eyes if it helps and never let go of my hand. Got it?"

"Yes."

Harry did as instructed and waited for Tom to speak again.

"Take us... to Albus Dumbledore."

Harry repeated just as Tom had told him and he soon felt himself being teleported away in a bright and comforting light.

And just like that, the hotel room was once again empty.

**HAPPY KWANZAA B*TCHES!**

**LOVE YOU ALL! REVIEWS = LOVE!**

**FINALLY I GOT MY LIFE BACK! NO MORE RELATIVES FROM FRANCE LIVING AT HOME & NO MORE 8 COURSES AT SCHOOL! LIFE IS GOOD!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: if Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliff) belonged to me I'd be too busy toying with them to write this fic so… no, unfortunately for me (and them) they don't.**

**Remember people: REVIEW EACH CHAPTER! EACH review is a reminder for me to bring the next chapter on time! This is a message to EVERYONE who enjoys this fic. Please, this is REALLY the best way to show me your support.**

**Chapter 7: Freezing Flower, Burning Earth... **

"Take us... to Albus Dumbledore."

Harry repeated just as Tom had told him and he soon felt himself being teleported away in a bright and comforting light.

And just like that, the hotel room was once again empty...

...Harry opened his eyes as he felt his feet touching the ground and the light vanishing away slowly. He turned his head to the side and the first thing he saw clearly when his vision settled was the reassuring look on Tom's handsome face. The teen still held the boy's hand firmly in his own and Harry felt appeased by this ongoing physical contact. However, both boys were so busy looking fondly at each other that they didn't notice the old man sitting at his desk, looking at them with a very not amused look.

"Hum-hum..."

Harry and Tom turn their gazes forward in an instant after hearing the old man's voice calling for their attention. They both stared at him with great anticipation since the look on his face made it practically impossible to decipher his current state of mind. One thing was for certain; he seemed neither happy or surprise to see them.

"Well, I must say... I expected you a bit sooner. I've been sitting here for almost an hour now... still, you both arrived here safe and sound so I guess in the end; everything turned out for the better."

Both boys were baffled by the apparent calm and composure of the professor who as usual seemed to be ten marks ahead of everybody. It was always so shocking for both of them to see how Dumbledore exhaled cleverness and assurance; like there never would be anything you could ever try to reveal to this man that he wouldn't know better already and explain more thoroughly than you ever could. Albus smiled at their shared dumbfounded stares and indicated them the two chairs in front of him.

"Please... have a seat."

Harry smiled at his headmaster and sat right away. Noticing that Tom wasn't sitting by his side, he turned around and quickly realised the teen and Dumbledore seemed to be deep in the middle of some kind of hateful and mistrusting staring contest.

"Tom..."

Harry sent a pleading look at the young man. Tom was really not in the mood to let Dumbledore handle this his way. He never trusted the old man and he knew very well the feeling was mutual.

"Come... sit down..."

Harry kept looking at Tom, praying that the Slytherin would let go of his apparent contempt for his headmaster and agree to do as he was beseeching him.

"Please... next to me."

Tom finally turned his gaze from the old wizard and stared again into the beautiful emeralds that belonged to Harry. He could not ignore the lovely boy's insistence. He knew although it pained him to step on his pride and give in to Dumbledore so easily, the pain he felt knowing he might be disappointing Harry right now with his persistent lack of cooperation was even worse to endure. Tom could clearly see that the boy was fond of the old goat. Ultimately, Riddle decided that Harry's happiness was just more important to him than some silly ego fight with Albus. He went to sit next to the Gryffindor and was delighted to see a smile finding its way back to the boy's lips. Dumbledore looked at Harry with kind eyes.

"Harry?"

"Yes professor?"

"The diary, if you please."

"Oh, right!"

Harry took out the diary and handed it to his headmaster. Dumbledore took a good look at it before putting it down again.

"Yes... devoid of any kind of magic now isn't it... Tom?"

Albus stared at Tom for a while until the young man allowed himself to answer the question.

"Yes... whatever magic was in there to begin with was entirely mine... and now that I'm free from it, the diary has basically returned to its original state."

Dumbledore smiled wittingly and Tom was afraid of what that meant for him.

"Then it only seems fitting that it should return to its original owner."

Dumbledore handed the diary to Tom who simply threw it mindlessly on the table, in a rather feeble attempt to provoke the old man and show him that he didn't give two cents what he thought was fitting or not. The headmaster turned his attention back to Harry who felt uneasy at the idea that the professor could see right through him like a mirror and the boy looked away.

"Don't worry Harry..."

Harry looked up at the old man whose face was full of warmth and concern for him. Harry instantly felt reassured.

"Professor...I..."

"I know what happened, my boy."

Both boys gasped and gazed at the older man with surprise hanging from their faces. Dumbledore readjusted himself in his chair, before looking at the both of them with a seriousness that left no doubt as to his commitment to sort the entire story out.

"Yes, I know very well what occurred inside that motel room."

Red spread across Tom and Harry's cheeks and they both looked away, unable to fully acknowledge what had just been said. A brand new smile appeared upon the headmaster's face; replacing his serious demeanor as he gazed endearingly at Harry.

"I'm also aware of everything you and Mr. Weasley did last night."

Harry was rejoiced to hear those kind words, however Albus' expression suddenly grew darker again.

"You of course realise that this means you have both broken perhaps a dozen school rules in a matter of hours."

Harry suddenly felt extremely anxious, while Tom couldn't believe what he was hearing. He didn't like Dumbledore, but he knew the old coot had more kindness in him than that.

"Y-yes... sir."

"And that there is sufficient evidence to have you both expelled."

Harry nodded as he became increasingly scared.

"Yes, sir."

Tom just couldn't take this anymore.

"Now, wait just a minute here!"

"Therefore!"

Albus' voice immediately rose a few notches, putting Tom right back in his place and shutting him up immediately.

"It is only fitting..."

Harry held his breath.

"That you both receive..."

Tom held Harry's hand tightly in his in order to try and give the boy some kind of confidence.

"Special Awards for Services to the School."

Harry exhaled delightedly as the Professor's gentle smile reassured him that everything was going to be alright. Albus continued.

"I'm sure you'll be glad to know that I've already charged Mr. Weasley with the very important task of getting an owl to Azkaban with letters meant to insure the return of our Game Keeper. As for the victims of the Basilisk, they are being cured as we speak."

Harry's joyous expression only worsened the feeling of guilt that coursed through Tom's veins as the headmaster pierced him with his shiny little eyes. Tom could easily accept feeling guilty towards Harry, in the sense that the boy was worth it to him; however he refused to allow himself to feel intimidated by his former professor. He was not going to let him have the satisfaction of seeing him weaker. Suddenly, Harry spoke in the mist of the tension.

"Tom you need to get out now."

The two other people in the room shot the boy confused gazes. Tom felt suddenly so afraid and hurt, but he quickly realized that Harry's expression contained neither hate nor anger, just concern.

"Wh-What? Harry why?"

"Because I can hear someone approaching!"

The footsteps became lauder and the professor looked quickly at Tom with a face that clearly meant "this is not over" and "Don't you even think about escaping the castle". Tom just responded with a snarky and bitchy smile then looked down softly at Harry. He was taken a bit aback when the boy took a hold of his hand and beamed at him.

"Don't worry. This isn't goodbye. We'll see each other again very soon I'm sure of it... I promise. Now please, go."

Tom nodded a bit bashfully then disappeared in a frail cloud of dark smoke just as the door was being opened and Lucius Malfoy entered the room. The man ragingly made his way towards Dumbledore's desk with a very nervous-looking house elf following behind. As the men assembled began to have their little back and forth, Tom sneakily materialised in a corner of the room hidden behind a large golden folding screen. He began spying on them and soon witnessed a completely discountenanced Malfoy having to turn back his heels and run away with his tail between his legs. Tom was quite please with the bold way Harry stood up to this arrogant blond-haired man, even if he himself didn't even know who Lucius was. What Riddle heard next, however was far from pleasing.

Harry was basically confining into Dumbledore about how he was afraid the Sorting Hat had been wrong not to place him in Slytherin and how troubled he was about realizing he had so many things in common with Voldemort, in other words; Tom. Although he knew he shouldn't be surprised nor expect, nor deserve for that matter, to hear any better, it still pained Riddle so much to notice the fear in the sweet voice of this gentle boy who seemed so scared to have anything akin to him. Of course, Dumbledore was more than happy to reassure Harry that this was nonsense and that he was nothing like this monster. Again, Tom couldn't help but firmly agree with that assessment. He knew first hand that the boy was a much greater human being than he could ever hope to be.

However, it intensely pissed him off to sense the unshakable feeling that Albus was saying this a tad bit more out of spite for Tom, rather than out of genuine concern for the boy. Although the headmasters' tone was just a shade too hateful and pointed, Tom still picked up on it and that allowed him to realize something very important; Dumbledore had spotted him. How long had the old fool known he was there? Had he known from the very beginning? Was he purposefully comforting Harry in this way just to tick him off? Why such an insistence on the word "choices" and them being "what really matters"? That old bastard! Still messing with his mind! How much he loathed the man was all Tom could think about right now. Then he saw Harry walking by... and all other thoughts vanished. The boy was on his way out, totally unaware of Tom's presence. Wrapped in his still unbroken innocence and childish, yet admirable confidence, he left the room with the diary in hands-wait a minute-the diary, why-

"-He's going to give it back to the one who planted it for Miss. Weasley to find."

Tom smirked; he had been right. More importantly, no matter how long or how come he had known... Dumbledore wanted to play a game. Alright, Tom would play along... as long as it benefited him of course. He came out of his hiding spot with a devilishly confident expression across his face. Dumbledore spoke once more.

"So I see you've found an interesting alternative to apparition."

"One of many actually... developed that one quite a while back."

"How... unsurprising."

"Well as you've so eloquently pointed it out to Harry... I've always had a certain talent for disregarding and working my way around the rules."

"Indeed."

"So I guess the blond guy is one of my future followers then... a descendant of Abraxas I suppose judging by the face."

Tom kept smiling defiantly and Albus nodded.

"A Malfoy indeed. How could you have been unaware of whom that man was?"

Tom took moment. He hesitate for a while there, but came to the conclusion that nothing good or simply worth it would come out of trying to hide something from the old man... besides he knew Dumbledore was bound to find out or just figure it out for himself eventually.

"Ever since I was... "written" so to speak I've been... we'll say sleeping. Any and every pieces of knowledge I have of these present times is thanks to this... ginger girl. I only ever gained consciousness once someone opened me up and started... conversing. The girl was the very first person to do so. Of course, as my influence on her became stronger, so did my consciousness until I was capable of astral projection, then physical manifestation on this plain of reality and now... as you can clearly see, I am a brand new man... of my very own."

Dumbledore's poker face was back on and he approached the young man until they were merely inches from one another. Tom tried to remain as unreadable as possible but he knew it wouldn't take much on his part to betray his serious level of stress as the headmaster kept stoically staring at him. Then Riddle's face was met with Albus' knuckles in a punch that sent Tom, mouth-bleeding and shocked, right down to the ground before he could understand anything of what had just happened to him. Dumbledore's gaze had become a pillar of burning orange flames and his steaming red hot face looked just about ready to engulf Tom in the seventh circle of Hell itself. Tom was actually scared at the idea that darts might literally start shooting out of the man's eyes.

"You... putrid... rampant... filthy... little... slug... Why I ought to just squash you right now. Do you know that for what you did I should just kill you were you stand for Merlin's sake. Every fiber of my being is telling me to rip you apart without a second thought, you son of bitch! After what you did to him... I could just grasp your insides and twist them before tearing them slowly from your belly... and I would undoubtedly feel neither a hint of hesitation nor the inch of any sort of guilt whatsoever. In fact, I would just feel like I'm doing a favor to the world by riding it of one of the vilest, most repulsive and unnecessary waste of unworthy human trash there ever was."

Tom spat the blood out then wiped his injury with the back of his hand, covering it with the red fluid before he rose to his feet and laughed humorlessly.

"It's nice to see you two again Albus dear. After all this time, I would have thought a hug would have been more appropriate, don't you think?"

Dumbledore frowned furiously.

"You dare to make fun of this situation. How can you even tolerate your own presence when you know every breath you take is an abomination and an affront to everything that is right and decent in this world? How... when you know your very life was claimed at the hands of the torture and humiliation you dared to inflict on this poor innocent-?"

"-I know damn well what I did, you old piece of garbage okay! ? I know it all too bloody well, you got that! ? And get this through that thick head of yours as well while you're at it; nothing you do or say can ever, ever make me feel even the tiniest bit more gross and horrible and disgusting and terrible than what I'm feeling right now by myself. I've literality taken the most brilliant, precious thing in this entire universe and crushed it down with my very own two hands. I broke it so badly into a thousand little pieces that I will never be able to bring it back fully together, ever again. That's what I did... And you're stupid enough to think I don't know that and that I don't fully understand the depth... the seriousness... the gravity... the severity... and the awfulness of it all... well, guess what! ?... I. Do."

By the end of his tirade, Tom's attitude had gone from jerk ass defiance to a strict rock hard animosity. His face had become nothing more than solidly frozen seriousness. Both men stayed silent and looked intensely at each other, as if waiting for the tension to get so thick they would actually be able to genuinely cut it with a knife... or simply start cutting each other with knives... either one really. Tom needed to keep venting his frustration so badly. He was still trying to refrain from simply lashing out at the old man who kept patronizing him. Instead, Riddle was desperately attempting to relax his breathing and blood pressure, which had both suffered dramatically from all the anger he felt rising up inside of him. But then, Albus suddenly picked up the conversation again.

"So... what now...?"

Tom took a deep breath. Although his decision on the matter had been made hours ago, he still needed to properly collect his thoughts about the subject before he could voice them out for the first time.

"Very simple... this life was given to me by sacrificing a part of his life so... As far as I'm concern, this life... my life... it is his... I forsake it for him."

Albus seemed shock... but mostly unimpressed.

"Meaning...?"

"Until there is nothing left of me I will live for him. Do you hear me?"

"Lots of pretty words... lots of empty ones two."

"I don't care what the hell it is you think! I'm vowing this to him... I've got something to prove... but not to you... to me. I'm not making this decision for you either and you can't stop me, so know this; whether it is from you or anyone else... I will protect him. I'll spend every day, for the rest of this life... pouring to the very last breath this body holds."

"And why is that Tom? Why do you care so much? Hell, why do you even care to begin with? Why for the first time since I've known you... why do you care about someone? Someone other than yourself. Tell me. Say it!"

"I... I don't know okay! But... all I really do know for sure is that... everything in me wants to care for him... insure his happiness... and his safety... anyway I can... I will for him and only... him. And I can't begin to understand why... and I don't care! To me there is no other possible or logical meaning to my life anymore. Everything I will ever even just plan on doing from this moment henceforth, till the day I vanish forever... It's all going to be for him... and him alone. That's what I know."

Albus inaudibly gasped; he had never felt more baffled, yet somehow strangely enlightened.

"So... you-"

"-You know damn well how I feel about him, Dumbledore! I'm not going to let you play on that."

Dumbledore closed his eyes and shook his head lightly.

"So... you still have this same false image of me. I guess it can't be help. I actually respect your sentiment, even if I can't seem to feel anything but contempt for you as a person."

"You always think you're so righteous don't you? And you talk so wisely you end up fooling everyone else around you. I bet you always even end up fooling yourself! But you never fooled me. You act like you care; you're no better than anyone else. All you care about is protecting your own selfish interests. There's nothing you can say that could justify letting these monsters raise him. I mean come on! Do you even care how badly they treated him?"

"You always talk such a big game Tom, and yet as always you know nothing of what you speak of. Arrogant as ever, I see. So you've learned nothing."

"I learned everything I needed to know and it's that selfless little boy who tough it to me, not you! Unlike everything you've ever promised me. You were always too scared of me to actually care. If you had, maybe I would have listened to you. Maybe I would have turned out differently and everything would be better now... for everyone!"

"Maybe... indeed. Just maybes, that's all there ever was with you"

"So you admit it then..."

"What?"

"You gave up on me from the get go. I was a lost cause... isn't that exactly what you thought when you first saw me? You never truly gave me a chance for redemption. I was guilty from the start with you. Hey! Who knows, had it been someone who actually gave me a fair chance and the total benefit of the doubt, someone who didn't set me up to fail, someone who wasn't just waiting for me to screw up and prove him right, someone who truly believed in me and what I could become... but I found that person and now I know I can be someone, someone better, someone great... because he believes in me... and I believe in him... no matter what. Now at least I know the world is not just made up of people like you... or me for that matter... that some people actually deserve the credit that every person is ready to blindly give them."

"So... again you put your faith in someone else's hand and you choose to blame me for the wrong choices you made on your own."

"Well Albus, sorry to disappoint you... again."

"To be disappointed I would need expectation first and as you duly noted it... I never had that much expectation when it came to you... only fears. And that, you never failed to meet up with."

"Is that a challenge old man?"

"Funny... That sounded almost playful. Unless it's just the fact that... you either don't really mean it or... simply lack the guts. "

"I'll show you old man."

"Is that a threat?"

"A promise."

Another long moment of silence and awkward tension and then... Dumbledore sighted in defeat as his angered expression faded away to reveal a surprisingly resigned face. The headmaster returned to sit at his desk, as though he had just given up on the entire affair. Tom was so drastically puzzled by this sudden change in attitude that he let out a giant;

"What! That's it! You're just going to surrender now is that it? After everything you've just told me or, rather threatened me with?"

"Well you clearly made up your mind about this and there's obviously nothing I can do about it, can I?"

Dumbledore looked questioningly at Riddle with a little smirk on his face. Tom frowned.

"N-No! Absolutely not!"

"Then it settled. Have it your way."

"I will; thank you!"

Tom turned around and was about to leave when Dumbledore interrupted him.

"Of course... you're going to need a safe place to stay."

Tom immediately stopped, more astonished than ever. Dumbledore continued.

"And I can think of several places in this very castle where you could live quite comfortably and quietly. I would personally guarantee your safety and anonymity."

"Why in the hell would I trust you?"

"No reasons. However, considering your current situation, I suggest you think about it; you would be hidden from the rest of the world and of course from the always to inquisitive ministry of magic who would be delighted I'm sure to have a little chat with the future Lord Voldemort... as well as the real responsible of both the recent muggle-born attacks and those committed 50 years ago, which as you know cost the life of an innocent little girl."

"You wouldn't."

"Oh wouldn't I now?"

The Slytherin could tell Albus wasn't kidding around and as usual the old man had Tom by the balls.

"Why would you do this for me?"

"For you? No. For Harry."

"What?"

"Believe it or not Tom, I actually do care for the boy and since I can tell your resolution to protect him is honest and genuine, I simply think we would be more useful to him by working as allies. If by helping you I can help him, then secrecy and lies are sacrifices I'm ready to make. Besides, by being here in the castle you'll have a much easier time watching over him by staying... physically... close to him."

Tom had to laugh at the old man's failed subtlety.

"But why... why in the hell would you... trust me?"

Dumbledore smiled fondly as he was reminiscing.

"Let's just say... it's not my first time... being convinced of someone's devotion and inflexible commitment to a cause, and this purely out of simple... love."

Unbeknown to both men... not far from there... spying on them through the window... hidden far away... up in the trees... they were two shadows... smiling to themselves.

"Hum... Well that didn't turn out too bad now did it?"

"Yeah... I'm actually quite impressed with how easy this was."

"I'm not. My visions were unequivocal."

The taller shadow scooted closer to the shorter one and held him tight.

"You're right Vee... I should never doubt your intuitions. Forgive me."

A kiss was laid and the shorter one rested his head on the tall one's shoulder.

"Nothing to forgive. There's still so much ahead... but at least now the real fun begins"

"Indeed, it's our turn to enter the scene... and it's bound to get interesting."

"Although it was already quite entertaining so far... Aili?"

"Yes love?"

"What are thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about you my dear, who else? What's on your mind?"

"No one but you."

"The hardships are only just starting... I feel sorrow for them. The storm approaches quicker than any of them can expect..."

"May they hold on to whatever joy and hope they can still find... soon it will be their only source of strength left... such dark times up ahead... I can already see it clearly... we'll make a difference... but only if we can help them make it."

"I know we will, besides... one thing is for sure; so far everything went according to plan."

"Let's hope the greater scheme works just as well... I'm cold."

"I'll warm you up soon enough."

"I know you will."

They two figures held each other even closer.

"What are you thinking about Veena?"

"You, Aillia."

"**Girl... The SHADE, the SHADE of it all!"**

**Hello, I'm back! And for good this time!**

**Explanations: Okay... so if you live in my part of the world, you know shit's crazy over here: riots, strikes, sick murderers, family & health crisis and so on to only name a few... SO MUCH DRAMA JESSICA!**

**Also I've suffered from what scientists call writer's block; the truth is I knew how to get this story so far to this point, but I lacked the inspiration on how to make it go really further. No more of that, I know how to get moving the way it most pleases me...**

**So Yeah! Hope you enjoyed this short chapter; it's kind of a settlement for what's to come next so please be excited! It'll be awesome! **

**On a side note, I want to make something very clear: Tom has but only begun his path towards the road of redemption... there's still a lot he has to prove to others and most importantly to himself before anything more conclusive between him and Harry happens. In the mean time however... many consensual sexual escapades for the pretty boys at Hogwarts are underway so... keep tuning in!**

**BTW, I will try my best to have the next chapter uploaded by next Weekend, thank you for your patience and your support! **


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